A 25-year-old man, Pedro Tello Rodriguez Jr., was arrested on suspicion of shooting two cheerleaders from the Woodlands Elite Cheer Company in the parking lot of a supermarket in Elgin, Texas, where the two girls parked their rental cars.
The incident happened just after midnight yesterday when cheerleader Heather Roth accidentally got into another car, mistaking it for her own, with a man in the back seat. Noticing the mistake, the girl immediately got out and returned to a friend’s car, which she had just got out of. At this point the madness began. The man in the wrong car went to the car the two girls were in, Roth rolled down the window to apologize, but he opened fire on them. Without a hearing.
Left Heather Roth, right Payton Washington
Roth and Peyton Washington were both injured. The first was treated by the on-site doctors as he suffered only a superficial wound. The situation of the second cheerleader, who was shot in the back and in the leg, was more serious: The young woman was transported to the hospital by helicopter, but is not out of danger. With them were two other friends who escaped the bullets.
The arrest
The details of the incident were shared on Instagram by a teammate, Caroline Scarbrough. According to reports from ABC13, the dynamic was later confirmed by a supermarket security guard, who told Bastrop County Police that he saw the man fire multiple shots at the vehicle the cheerleaders were renting before fleeing. Rodriguez was arrested after police confiscated surveillance camera footage.
Who is Payton Washington, the champion risking her life?
A Baylor University spokeswoman said the university’s cheerleading coach, Felecia Mulkey, visited Payton Washington in the hospital.
She then released a statement to Eyewitness News: “Payton is a strong girl. Anyone who knows her knows that. I have no doubt that he will. She’s a great athlete and an even better person, which is why she’s part of our Baylor family. My prayers are with Payton and her companions – she said – I know even emotional wounds leave scars”.
The girl recently triumphed with her partner Roth with the Woodlands Elite Cheer Company at the National Cheerleaders Association national championships. Next Saturday, April 22, the two girls who died in the shooting were scheduled to compete at Worlds Cheerleading in Orlando.
“It’s the only title Payton hasn’t won in All-Star Cheer. She has literally won everything there is to win in sport except a world title, and this was her last chance to do so,” said Lynne Shearer, co-owner of Woodlands Elite Cheer Company.
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