CANTON, Ohio — A Canton woman is hospitalized after police say a man fired celebratory gunshots into the air the night before the Fourth of July — and at least one of those rounds traveled through the wall of her nearby home, hitting her while she slept.
Police identified the woman as 46-year-old Summer Christian, who is currently recovering at Summa Health's Akron campus.
This all happened at their home along 20th Street NE in Canton at around 11:40 p.m. Friday.
"She woke up when I woke up, and as soon as she looked at me, she said, 'I can't feel my legs and something is wrong, I can't breathe,'" husband Bill Christian told News 5. "I try to grab her arms, try to get her up, she says, 'No that hurts — Cannot feel my legs, I cannot breathe.' I look up to the right, and I see the bullet hole."
Bill Christian told News 5 the outcome could have been far worse — and they credit one of their six cats, Milo, with possibly saving Summer's life.
"He moved about a minute before this happened," he explained. "She was on her right side and moved to lay flat. If she had been on her right side, it would have hit her in the head, and we wouldn't be having this conversation."
Since Friday night, Christian said they have been working to slowly tackle the upcoming challenges, such as fears over looming medical bills, missing work and Summer's rehab journey to regain her ability to walk.
"She couldn't feel her legs while [rehab specialists] were moving them," Christian said. "They were trying to get her moving; they sat her up, and she couldn't hold herself up. That was pretty heartbreaking for her after that."
Canton police arrested Darius Leishman, 24, in connection with the shooting. He faces felony charges, including assault and discharging a weapon into a home. Leishman remains in jail in lieu of a $1 million bond.
Christian placed the blame squarely on the man the police arrested.
"It was no one's fault except the individual who did this," Christian said. "It wasn't the firearm. It was him. He did this to her. I just want [people] to use their common sense and not fire firearms in the city limits."
Canton Police Chief John Gabbard issued a statement condemning the act:
"The idea that firing weapons randomly into the air has no consequences, or knowing and ignoring those consequences, is outrageous. 'Celebratory gunfire' is dangerous and illegal. It is heartbreaking that this victim had to suffer critical injuries to serve as an example of what should be clear and obvious to everyone," Gabbard said.
Bill Christian told News 5 the long-term goal is to find a new place to live as Summer works to regain her ability to walk and get around.
"It should have never happened," Christian said.
