SPU shooting victim Sarah Williams discharged from hospital
A 2014 photo of Sara Williams. (Courtesy of the Williams family)
SEATTLE -- Seattle Pacific University student Sarah Williams, 19, who was critically injured in last week's shooting on campus, was discharged from Harborview Medical Center Friday, the hospital announced.
Williams took a direct hit when a man opened fire with a shotgun at the university June 5. She was critically wounded and had to undergo five hours of emergency surgery. She has been in the hospital ever since.
In that shooting at SPU, one student was killed and two were wounded, including Williams. The other wounded student had less serious injuries and was released a couple days after the shooting. The gunman was arrested and is in the King County Jail, charged with murder and attempted murder.
Sarah Williams issued this statement on June 10:
I would like to thank everybody for the incredible outpouring of prayers and support that have been sent to my family and me since the events of last week. I know there is a lot of concern for my health and well being, so I'd like to take this opportunity to let everybody know that I am healing and getting stronger. The doctors and hospital staff at Harborview Medical Center have been fantastic and they are taking excellent care of my family and me.
While every day brings improvement, I have a long way to go for full recovery. During that time, I truly do wish that everyone please respect my privacy and that of my family. We are interested in only one thing: being together and getting through this.
My family and I send our love and prayers to the other victims and to Paul Lee’s family. Also, my heartfelt gratitude goes out to everyone here in Seattle, from the staff and my fellow students at Seattle Pacific University, to my roommates and friends, the police, to everyone here at Harborview and to the friends back home in Phoenix who are doing everything they can do to help me and my family. It means a great deal for me to know that there are so many wonderful people in this world who care, and I cannot thank you enough.
There is no timeline for her release. The Williams family reiterates that it would like privacy during Sarah's recovery. No further statements will be issued by the Williams family.