Early morning shooting leave Lubbock mother fighting for her life - KCBD NewsChannel 11 Lubbock

By Brittany Pieper - bio | email

LUBBOCK, TX (KCBD) - A shooting suspect remains on the loose while a young mother fights for her life. Lucy Cortez, 21, lives at 2205 35th street, and someone shot her in her own front yard.

"I just came out here this morning and seen all the crime tape and all that stuff," said Tiffany Jackson on Sunday afternoon. Jackson heard some sort of commotion outside her home around 4:30 Sunday morning, but never thought she would wake up to crime tape and police outside her window. "They knocked on the door this morning and asked if we heard anything, and that's when it all came back.  I did hear some arguing or some screaming or something, but I never imagined it to be gun shots going on, especially this close to my house," said Jackson. 

Cortez lives with her two young children and her mother in the home. Other neighbors were also surprised by the news. "It was scary. It was real scary because it's right next door. We're just like, oh my god, you know, right next door. They could have shot at our house," said neighbor Celia Romero. 

Lubbock Police responded to a report of a shooting just after 6 a.m. Sunday morning. They found Cortez with at least one gunshot wound to her torso. She was taken to University Medical Center in critical condition. Police believe a young woman suspect went to the residence and argued with Cortez, eventually got into a physical fight with her, and then fired several shots with a hand gun. The suspect then fled the scene.

All friends and neighbors can do now is wait and hope for the best. "It was shocking, and I hope she's okay because she just had a baby not too long ago, and she needs to be around to see them grow up and be a mom to them," said Jackson. 

Police issued a homicide detective call out in case the victim dies. If you have any information that might help police find the suspect you're asked to call CrimeLine at 741-1000.

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