Sherae Honeycutt

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Original Post

A service dog shot was reunited with her teenage owner Saturday.

Eighteen-year-old Brooklyn Clevenger never imagined when she was in town for chemotherapy at Children’s Mercy, her service dog would be fighting for her life. And she would come face to face with the man who assaulted her and shot her dog Lolly.

“I’m still alive today because of this dog. She’s been with me through everything. She’s been my best friend for the past two years,” Clevenger said.

On Tuesday, Clevenger was staying at the Motel 6 near Barry Road with her boyfriend and 16 year old brother. She has a lung disease and was in town for a chemo treatment at Children’s Mercy. The man staying in a room a few doors down made them feel uneasy.

“He was throwing off a weird vibe,” Clevenger said.

The man approached Clevenger and her friends, who had no interest in talking with him. Hotel management ultimately asked that guy to leave.

“He came back to our room and started beating on the door and the window. At one time he said he was going to come and kill us.”

He left but the next day, on the way to the doctor, he was back.

Police said he came out from behind a dumpster and attacked.

“After he hit my little brother, my service dog jumped up on him, and that’s whenever he shot her,” Clevenger said. “I got in front of my little brother, and they started in on me. There was no doubt in my mind that he had a gun, but whether or not he was bluffing on if he was going to use it or not that’s a whole different story, but he proved that pretty quick.”

The gun stopped working after he shot the dog and the man ran off. Paramedics rushed Lolly to ‘Blue Pearl’s emergency room.

“They called the ambulance for us, but the paramedics ended up working on Lolly, which thankfully enough saved her life,” Clevenger said.

While she was getting treated, the three people went to St. Luke’s Hospital to get checked out. Thinking they may never find their attacker.

“It’s gonna take a miracle to find this man, and the next thing you know, there’s that miracle walking out of the exam room.”

Clevenger said she knew she had to tell somebody and get him arrested.

“I nonchalantly walked around Devin and went up to the nurses office and told them, ‘that’s the dude.’”

That’s when police arrested 25-year-old Mardrecius Williams. Williams, has been charged with three counts of second degree assault, three counts of armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon, intentionally/recklessly cause injury/death of a service dog and first degree trespass.

Plate County Prosecuting Attorney Eric Zahnd tells FOX4 in a statement “this is a serious case that involves the alleged assault not only on three different individuals, but also a service animal. Charges are only allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent until or unless proven guilty in a court of law.”

I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, and even though this is a really crappy ordeal, I do believe we will get something from this,” said Clevenger.

“Don’t take your life for granted. You never know when someone is going to come out from behind a dumpster and threaten your life.”

Clevinger tells FOX4 she did make it to her chemotherapy appointment.

KCPD said between medical and vet bill, this could cost the teen around $10,000. A fund has been set up for them HERE