26-year-old woman survives workplace shooting after being shot 4 times
By Julie Salomone
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BRADENTON, Florida (WFTS) — A Manatee County woman remains hospitalized after being shot four times in a workplace shooting last week.
Summer Freitag, 26, was working at a lab processing center when she witnessed a deadly shooting on Thursday, Jan.15.
Bradenton Police said Keith Roberts Jr. came into the lab, shot and killed his ex-girlfriend, Myshaela Burnham.
Officers said he then shot a co-worker who witnessed the deadly shooting.
Summer’s good friend, Taylor Strayer, said she learned about the shooting from one of Summer’s family members.
She was working in Tampa and received a call from an unknown number.
“It said Bradenton so I picked up. It was actually her sister, Sage, and she had let me know Summer was at work and she unfortunately had been shot and they were rushing her to the hospital,” said Taylor. “A long ride, a long ride of praying to God that she was going to make it through.”
Summer is expected to have another surgery soon.
“The left arm, the brachial artery had been severed so they had to go in and repair that as soon as she got to the hospital and then her right leg was also shot, completely shattered her knee as well as the bones in her upper leg and lower leg,” said Taylor.
Summer and Taylor have been friends for nearly 15 years. The two grew up in Manatee County and attended middle and high school together.
Summer works as a licensed practical nurse or LPN. She graduated from Manatee Technical College.
“Never take anything for granted. Life is so short, and you never know, you never know just when your life could end,” said Taylor.
Friends are raising money online through a GoFundMe page to help with Summer’s recovery.
“It’s going to take some time and a lot of physical therapy as well as mental therapy because this is just not something that happens every day, and it’s really taking a toll on everyone,” said Taylor.
“I don’t want to speak on her behalf on that kind of stuff, but it’s definitely tough to wrap your head around, that’s for sure, and I know, she just feels terrible and obviously, the other girl who lost her life, we want to say prayers for her family and her son. It’s just a terrible situation, all around,” said Taylor.
To learn more about Summer and her recovery, click here.
Roberts faces charges of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder with a firearm.
He remains in the Manatee County Jail.
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