Woman shot at NMSU game recovering at home

What are the odds?

A woman attending her first ever Aggies football game in a crowd of 25,000 people was hit by a bullet.

Patsy Bejarano, 57, told ABC-7 maybe it happened for a reason.

Days after getting hit by a bullet in the thigh, Bejarano is laughing and walking, all with the help of a walker.

She said she was just sitting in Aggie Memorial Stadium on Saturday, eating nachos and candy like any other fan, when she was hit.

“I couldn’t believe it. I said, ‘Oh mygod. Who would be shooting? Maybe a fan was mad because they were losing.’ Idon’t know,” Bejarano told ABC-7.

She said she had just finished enjoying the halftime show when she was felt a sting on her thigh. At first, she thought someone had thrown something from the seats above her, but when she looked down she realized she was bleeding.

She said she was in shock. No one had heard a gunshot. She told her daughter, who was sitting next to her, and even her daughter didn’t believe it.

“It’s ridiculous. They shouldn’t evenallow guns in the parking lot. It gets me mad. When you’re trying toenjoy a game and all of a sudden you get shot,” Bejarano said.

From the nickel-sized hole in her thigh, it’s clear the bullet didn’t actually go through her leg. She thinks the jeans she was wearing may have helped with that.

She was also lucky enough to be sitting next to Mesilla Fire Marshal Kevin Hoban, who she said was a great help.

NMSU police believe the bullet came from a small handgun shot outside the stadium. Bejarano said they told her it was a .40 caliber bullet.

“It’s not really settling yet. Istarted crying this morning because it could’ve been worse. I just broke down and started crying. I wouldn’t evenbe here if it was worse,” Bejarano said.

She told ABC-7 everything happens for a reason. She was sitting justinches from a toddler, who she said could have been hit if she wasn’tthere to take the bullet.

“Maybe I was supposed to be the luckyone to save that little boy. That’s how I look at it. I was the luckyone to save that little boy. It could have missed me and hit him so Isay I’m the lucky one who got shot,” Bejarano said.

Two days after the shocking incident, Bejarano is joking and laughing, an attitude her family thinks will get her through recovery quickly.

“Bring it on. I can take on anything,” said the 57-year-old.

NMSU police said they do not have any suspects or leads at this point. The investigation is still ongoing.

As for Bejarano, she said it was her first game and now her last. She said from now on she’s staying home to watch football from the safety of her living room.