COLUMBUS, Ohio — More than two months after a deadly shooting at a Columbus nightclub, one of the survivors is sharing her story.
The shooting left two people dead and two others injured. The shooter involved, identified as 26-year-old Jaquez Hoover, was arrested by police on Thursday.
Latisa Shaver, one of the survivors of the shooting, worked as a security guard at the club.
"He ruined my life without taking my life,” Shaver said.
Shaver said what happened on June 14 altered her life forever. The mother of five said her night began with what could almost be described as a warning sign.
"I was getting ready and my daughter was like, ‘Mom, I don't want you to go to the club, I don't want you to work tonight,’ and I'm like, ‘Mommy will be back I promise. I'll come get you when I leave, I promise,'" Shaver said.
Shaver worked at Aura nightclub, formerly known as Avalon, as her second job.
That night, she said the incident started with a man trying to walk into the club armed with a gun, which is against policy. Hoover argued with the security guard at the front door before walking away.
"Dude walked to his car and he walked back, he didn't have nothing in his hand. He walked back and by the time I could look back up he had his gun cocked looking me dead in my eyes and shot me six times,” Shaver said.
The two other security guards who were shot, identified as 27-year-old Desmond Taylor and 36-year-old Ceilin Smith, did not survive.
"Smitty and Des were wonderful,” Shaver said.
Shaver added they were like brothers to her and always tried to protect her.
"I seen my brother Des take his last breath and then laid down, I seen Smitty just look at me and shake his head like he was sorry,” Shaver said.
Shaver said she was shot three times in her pelvis/hip, twice in her wrist and once in her chest. She never lost consciousness. As she yelled for help, she said she thought about what matters most.
"When I got shot six times it was like, I gotta make it back home to my baby. I told her that I was coming back home to her,” Shaver said.
As she waited for EMS to arrive, Shaver said she eventually started to feel a sense of peace.
"I felt tired, everything started getting, sounding far away, and I thought I was dying,” Shaver said.
Following two surgeries and nearly two weeks at the hospital, Shaver is now left dealing with the fallout from her injuries, including no longer being able to use her left hand.
"Them two little girls wake up every day and tell me I'm the best mom, and I don't feel like it because I can't do nothing for them. I can't cook dinner for my kids, I can't open the drawer, I can't tie my daughter's shoes,” Shaver said.
The lasting effects of what happened have made her afraid to leave her home, especially knowing the shooter was still on the loose.
Shaver said she hopes sharing her story will lead to someone turning him in.
"The killer gets to see his family regardless, whether he's out of jail or in jail. My brothers will never see their family again,” Shaver said.
An arrest warrant was issued for the suspect, 26-year-old Jaquez Hoover. He was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Thursday morning in southeast Columbus.
A GoFundMe has been created to support Shaver and her family as she recovers.
Additional GoFundMe pages have also been created to support the families of Ceilin Smith and Desmond Taylor.