LUBBOCK, Texas – A 17-month-old baby struck in the face by shrapnel during a shooting rampage in West Texas on Saturday will undergo surgery Monday, Gov. Greg Abbott said during a press conference Sunday.
Anderson Davis was among the 22 people injured in Saturday's shooting that spanned Midland and Odessa. Her family told Abbott that shrapnel tore through the child's lip and tongue and knocked out her teeth. Shrapnel also hit her chest, CNN reported.
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Despite the horrific incident, she is expected to recover.
Abbott read a text message from Davis' mother during a press conference Sunday.
"'Thank you all for praying, this is all of our worst nightmare,'" Abbott read. "'But thank God she's alive and relatively well.' She goes on to say that, 'Toddlers are funny because they can get shot but still want to run around and play.'
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"She says that, 'We are thanking God for that. Her mouth is pretty bad, but that can heal and can be fixed. Thankfully it doesn't seem that her jaw was hit. Just lip, teeth and tongue. She's having surgery tomorrow to remove the shrapnel from her chest and to fix her lip and mouth and to get a better look at her tongue. We are thanking God for healing her and appreciate continued prayers.'"
Davis' family praised doctors and first responders who rushed to treat the young girl's wounds. Abbott said that on Monday, doctors will perform another surgery to remove shrapnel from her body.
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The Davis family told CNN they look forward to reuniting their daughter with her twin brother soon.
Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke called the shooting "f----d up" while addressing media Saturday. His remarks drew criticism as some said he was profane.
O'Rourke appeared on MSNBC on Sunday and responded to his critics with a tweet from a rabbi, which read in part: "Profanity ain't the F-bomb. Profanity is living in a country where a 17 MONTH OLD BABY IS SHOT IN THE FACE."
Profanity is not the f-bomb. What is profane is a 17 month-old baby being shot in the face. pic.twitter.com/mUuK12Rxbp
— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) September 1, 2019
Presidential candidates Julian Castro, Cory Booker and Amy Klobuchar were among other Democratic contenders to comment on the child's injuries.
Davis' injuries also sparked calls to action from celebrities including actress and activist Alyssa Milano and former NBA star Reggie Miller.