EXCLUSIVE: Mass shooting survivor talks with officer who helped save her

BAY ST. LOUIS, Miss. (WLOX) - On Sunday, WLOX sat down with 16-year-old Lauren Lawless, one of the six victims in a mass shooting at a prom after-party that happened two weeks ago in Bay St. Louis.

She shared her story of survival, hope and the road to recovery, as Waveland Police Sergeant Troy Bordelon held her hand.

When he arrived to the scene on the night of the deadly shooting, Sgt. Bordelon found Lauren laying on the ground suffering from a gunshot wound. And he remained by her side.

“I just stayed with her the whole time and let her know what was going on,” he said.

Their bond was formed during one the most traumatic moments, but it’s also one made to last.

Amid the chaos and tragedy, Sgt. Bordelon went beyond the call of duty to help, even when an ambulance arrived.

“My son is 14, and I would want somebody to do everything they could to get him to a hospital as quick as they could,” he said. “So, I made the decision just to escort her all the way to Gulfport.”

“I’ve told him thank you like a million times,” Lauren said as she cried.

She spent four days in the ICU.

She returned home about one week ago and was able to spend Mother’s Day with her grateful mom, Kyndra Lawless.

“She’s not going to let this beat her,” Kyndra said. “She has her mind set that she’s going to recover and make a full recovery.”

She said through physical therapy, Lauren is getting stronger and stronger by the day.

“Think about it, so, it’s only been like two weeks, and I’m already doing this good,” Lauren said. “Think about, like, four weeks. It’s going to be like two times better.”

On the bullet’s way straight through her, Lauren suffered two broken ribs, as well as nerve damage in her left leg.

“All the documentaries and everything, you never expect it to be like in your town or in your family or you,” she said.

Her family and friends call her survival nothing short of a miracle.

But Lauren insists she would not be here today without her newfound friend in blue.

She turned to Sgt. Bordelon with tears falling down her face and said, “Y’all are shown in such a negative light. And this happened to me, so, like, y’all actually truly, like, help people. Y’all aren’t the stereotype everybody makes y’all out to be. Y’all actually save people. Y’all saved me.”

Sgt. Bordelon said, “That’s what we sign up to do.”

Two others did not make it home from that prom party: De’Arreis Smith and Hailey Stamper.

Lauren said two of her friends who were also shot are now back in school, while one other teen is still in recovery.

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