A Texas family is living through every parent’s worst nightmare after an 18-year-old high school athlete was shot while trying to help a friend during a chaotic confrontation outside a Waffle House.
Seth Jackson, a straight-A student and basketball player from Richardson, was left paralyzed after the March 19 shooting in the parking lot of a Waffle House on West Spring Valley Road, according to police and his family.
Investigators said the violence started as a conflict between two groups of teens and spiraled out of control when multiple people pulled out handguns and started firing.
But Seth’s family says he was not looking for trouble. They told local reporters he was trying to help a friend who was being attacked when the situation suddenly turned deadly.
As gunfire erupted, Seth tried to run.
He was shot before he could get away.
The injuries were catastrophic. Doctors later told his parents that Seth suffered a shattered spinal cord, fractured ribs, a ruptured lung, and a ruptured aorta.
His father, James Jackson, said the news from doctors was devastating.
“They said he’ll never walk again,” he said.
The teen has since undergone three surgeries in just three days. In the terrifying days after the shooting, his condition was described as touch and go. His father later shared one small sign of progress: Seth had been moved out of intensive care and into a regular hospital room after doctors removed a second tube from his chest.
Still, his family says their main concern is simple and heartbreaking.
They just want him to survive.
James Jackson said they will deal with the life changes later, but right now the focus is getting Seth through this.
The tragedy is even harder to process because of everything Seth had going for him. He is a Richardson High School student, a standout basketball player, and had been working two jobs while preparing to attend the University of Houston later this year.
Now, instead of getting ready for college, he is preparing for inpatient rehab and a completely different future.
A GoFundMe created to support Seth’s recovery says he is permanently disabled from the waist down. The fundraiser has already brought in tens of thousands of dollars as loved ones rally around the teen and his family.
Police arrested two suspects in connection with the shooting: 18-year-old Taylor Griffin and 17-year-old Charles Webster. Both were charged with engaging in organized criminal activity. Investigators say they believe the pair took part in the events leading up to and during the shooting.
Authorities also said the investigation is still active and more arrests are expected.
Photos from the scene showed the violence left damage behind, including a shattered glass door at the Waffle House.
As Seth remains in recovery, police say they are committed to getting justice for him.