14-year-old who survived Kalamazoo shooting takes steps
KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- The mother of a 14-year-old girl who survived a mass shooting in southwestern Michigan says the teenager is able to walk with assistance.
Vicki Kopf tells the Battle Creek Enquirer that Abigail Kopf opened her eyes Tuesday and took some steps at a hospital Wednesday.
Gene Kopf predicts their daughter, who was shot in the head, will be "very close to functional ... with no serious repercussions" in the months ahead.
Six people were killed during a series of random shootings in the Kalamazoo area on Feb. 20. Abigail and a 25-year-old woman survived.
Kopf says she can't wait to see Abigail's "sass and spunk" again.
Abigail's heart beat stopped during initial attempts to save her life, but it was restored. An organ donation service was contacted with her parents' permission, though she was never declared medically brain dead.
Her parents were making arrangements to donate her organs when the girl squeezed her mother's hand.
On Wednesday, officials said the other survivor of the rampage, 25-year-old Tiana Carruthers, was upgraded to fair condition.
Meanwhile, a judge ordered Jason Dalton to undergo a mental competency exam Thursday. He's charged with murder and attempted murder.
The Battle Creek Community Foundation is accepting donations to help the Kopf family cover medical expenses.