Survivor of Midtown shooting has spinal cord injury

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By Marcus K. Garner

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

One of the women who survived a fatal Midtown shooting spree last Friday will begin treatment for a serious back injury, and could be paralyzed below the waist, area spinal center officials say.

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One woman was killed and two others wounded Friday, July 15, 2011, shortly before noon at a parking deck at 14th Street and Crescent Avenue in Midtown.

John Spink, jspink@ajc.com One woman was killed and two others wounded Friday, July 15, 2011, shortly before noon at a parking deck at 14th Street and Crescent Avenue in Midtown.

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Lauren Garcia, 23, was shot in the back last week outside her office building when Nkosi Thandiwe allegedly killed another woman in a parking deck and fired sporadically as he made his escape.

Garcia was transferred Thursday from Grady Memorial Hospital to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta to have her injuries assessed by specialists there.

"Ms. Garcia sustained a spinal cord injury at the T-10 level from a gunshot wound," Shepherd spokeswoman Caroline Hemingway said in a statement released Thursday.

Hemingway pointed to a website produced by the Shepherd Center to illustrate what that level of injury might mean for Garcia. According to the site, the area of Garcia's spine that was damaged could cause paraplegia, or paralysis of her legs and lower body.

"After doctors at Shepherd Center determine an appropriate treatment plan for Ms. Garcia, she will begin a rehabilitation program under the guidance of a full team of medical and rehabilitation specialists," Hemingway said.

Typically, that team includes a physician, nurse, peer counselor, nutritionist and a host of therapists from occupational and physical to recreational, hospital officials say.

Brittney Watts, of Decatur, died on the scene of the lunchtime shooting rampage, and Tiffany Ferenczy, Garcia's co-worker, suffered an injury to her calf.

Ferenczy returned to work Wednesday, said Mark Scott, senior vice president of MSL Atlanta, where she and Garcia work.

Thandiwe allegedly fled in Watts' car, driving it to southwest Atlanta. He later contacted a lawyer and turned himself in to police early Friday evening, surrendering a handgun to authorities at the time, officials said.

He is charged with one count of murder and two counts of aggravated assault, and remains in the Fulton County jail as he awaits a bond hearing later this month before a Superior Court judge.

Garcia is from Lithia Springs and graduated this year from UGA with a degree in public relations, according to the campus newspaper, the Red and Black.

As she moves to the next stage of recovery, she will be bolstered by the support of hundreds of well-wishers -- more than 700 at the time of publishing -- who have responded to a Facebook event called "Thoughts and Prayers for Lauren Garcia."

"Just keep Lauren Garcia and her family in your prayers while they deal with this horrible tragedy," the page says.

Garcia's family has declined requests for interviews, Hemingway said.

"The family is appreciative for the outpouring of support from the community, but requests privacy during Ms. Garcia’s recovery and rehabilitation," she said.