Waco woman paralyzed after boyfriend shot her discusses terrifying ordeal: ‘He used my gun’

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - What started as an argument over texts nearly cost Jaira Kirven her life when her boyfriend at the time, Dari Washington, shot her.

“Next thing I know, I hear ‘Well, since I’m fake’ and the next thing I know, I’m on the floor. I’m screaming ‘what’re you doing? What’s going on?’” Kirven recalled in an interview.

Before she could process that she’d been shot, Washington was standing over her, firing two more rounds into her skin before he took her car and ran.

“[He used] My gun, my car, he was living in my apartment,” said the mother of two.

When Kirven made it to the hospital, she was on so many pain relievers that she couldn’t process what the doctors were saying about her health.

It wasn’t until court testimonials that she learned just how bad it really was.

“Being in the courtroom the other day and hearing him say the bullet was a centimeter away from my heart really kind of brought it all back. I was like ‘wow!’ I knew it was bad but I didn’t know it was that bad,” she said.

Nine rounds were fired but only four hit Kirven. One of the four rounds is still lodged under her skin.

“There’s still a bullet in my spine, so, I have pain that some days I can’t even get out of bed,” said Kirven.

According to Assistant District Attorney Luke McCowan, Washington has pleaded guilty, waived his right to appeal and is awaiting sentencing on June 8. He’s facing the possibility of spending the rest of his life behind bars.

“I don’t want to wish jail time on anyone, but the prosecutor said he hasn’t learned his lesson. If he sits in there and learns his lesson, I’m all for it,” she said.

As for Kervin, she says that she is, “…just so blessed and grateful to be here,” and that, “[she] can’t do anything but smile.”

Anyone wanting to help Kervin with medical bills can do so by clicking here.

To read KWTX managing editor Tommy Witherspoon’s article detailing Washington’s court appearances, click here.

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