(StraightNews.org) – A Christian bookstore owner has been shot and paralyzed in Los Angeles. Luis Hernandez, the owner of Libreria Cristiana Y Distribuidora ALITO, was closing his store on the evening of April 6 when his assailants leaped from a parked car and shot him, hitting his spine. The incident happened in front of his wife and children.
The victim’s cousin, Nora Flores, later told local media that doctors have confirmed Mr. Hernandez will not walk again. “We’re just trying to process that news,” she added. However, his wife, who did not wish to be identified, said she had faith that he would recover. She also said she worries that gang members in the area may be responsible.
In an online fundraiser, Ms. Flores said her cousin remained in critical condition and asked for help with the family’s medical bills. On April 16, the GoFundMe appeal had raised almost $15,000.
The incident happened on South Alvardo Street on April 6, and the Los Angeles Police Department appealed for public assistance to track down the assailants, who fled the scene in a gray Toyota Camry. The suspects are a Hispanic male and a Hispanic female, officers added.
Reports confirm that a bullet struck Mr. Hernandez in the lower spine. Injuries to this area usually only affect or cause paralysis in the lower part of the body, a condition known as paraplegia – an inability to move the legs or feet voluntarily – for which there is no cure.
Experts state that while injury-related paralysis to the lower spine cannot be corrected, there are ways to manage it, and people can go on to live functioning lives. Physical therapy can help build strength in surrounding muscles, while available medications can control pain, relax muscles, and reduce blood clotting risk. Certain surgeries can address mobility, depending on the extent of the impairment.
Most lower spine paralysis is caused by injury, but some brain and spinal cord diseases can have the same impact.
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