Houston teen thankful to be alive after she was shot during robbery while walking home

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Houston police are still searching for two women accused of robbing and shooting a teenage girl as she walked home from work.

In an exclusive interview, through an interpreter, 17-year-old Yessica Pineda told ABC13 that she suffered serious injuries after she was shot three times in her legs the night of March 18.

It happened after 9 p.m. as she was walking home near Beechnut and Corporate Drive.

Pineda says she left her native home of El Salvador 11 months ago to live with her sister and escape the kidnappings and violence in her homeland.

She said she never imagined she would endure violence in Houston, where her sister and family have lived for the last five years.

Pineda says she’s in pain, but manages to smile after the horrific ordeal while walking home from work.

The teen’s legs wrapped in bandages and gauze following surgery. She says she’s using a walker now after a bullet shattered a bone in her left leg.

Pineda said she left work and walked a short distance to her home, a walk she said she made every evening. She said she noticed a car sped by her, but continued walking.

She said moments later, two women approached her.

Pineda says the women demanded money, and she hesitated at first. That’s when one of the women pointed a gun onto her back.

Pineda says the suspects took off with her backpack, her cell phone, and $300 cash, but then things escalated.

She says one of the women shot her several times after she started screaming.

The teen told she laid injured and bloodied on Corporate Drive for several minutes as motorists drove by her.

She says eventually a driver stopped and called police for help.

Clara Pineda Urias says she called her sister’s cell phone after noticing a large police presence in front of their complex.

Urias said it wasn’t her sister on the other end of the phone but one of the suspects, who said her sister was shot in the street.

She says the suspect also told her Pineda should have handed over her belongings “quicker.”

Pineda says the road to recovery will be a long one, but despite the pain and agony she’s been through, her injuries could have been worse and she’s thankful to be alive.

Houston police told there have been no arrests in this case.

Anyone with information is urged to call Crimestoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477).