Nick Lachey's employee speaks out after suspect caught in shooting: 'I can't change what happened'
Elizabeth "Ellie" Richardson said, "I can't change what happened."
— -- Nick Lachey's employee, who was shot in the face on Thanksgiving while walking near Lachey's, the singer's sports bar in Cincinnati, is speaking out after the violent incident.
Elizabeth Richardson told ABC News affiliate WCPO-TV, "I just am so overwhelmed with the way the community has pulled together and done so much for me," she said. "Words can't even describe how grateful I am."
"I can't change what happened, so really staying as positive as I can has been the best medicine for me," she added.
Cincinnati Police announced Thursday that shooting suspect Lavoris Hightower had turned himself in. The 36-year-old was later indicted for attempted murder, felonious assault, weapons under disability and tampering with evidence, police said.
His attorney, Clyde Bennett, told WCPO that Hightower was an innocent victim of an overzealous police response to the shooting.
"I think there was an attempt by the Cincinnati police department to hold somebody accountable so that everybody could still feel comfortable eating, drinking and having a good time in Over-the-Rhine," Bennett said. "That’s not the law though."
Still, Richardson, 27, said she's "100 percent" certain Hightower was the suspect. "The only other explanation would be if he has a twin that looks exactly like him ... that was him," Richardson told WCPO.
The bar manager, who's also recently engaged and a mother to a 3-year-old, said that she was shot on the left side of her face, with the bullet entering right below her temple. The bullet stopped when it reached the right side of her face, puncturing her nasal cavity. Richardson said doctors were able to remove the bullet last Saturday, and rebuild the right side of her jaw. She's since been released from the hospital.
"I took like two or three steps toward the van, and that's when he had pulled out the gun," she explained.
Richardson credits her boyfriend for saving her life since she didn't see the gun. Her boyfriend spotted the weapon and pulled her away. "If he wouldn't have done that, I truly believe that I would be dead," she added.
Lachey's employee also had a message for local residents in Cincinnati who may feel differently about safety in the area following the shooting.
"I don't think that location was specific to why he chose to do that," she said. "I just hope that people will try to continue on doing what they're doing because [Over-the-Rhine] is such a great area, and I don't think it's dangerous at all. So I hope people will hear that because I truly believe that."
Lachey, a member of 98 Degrees, pleaded with the public to find the man who shot Richardson. Following the shooting, he tweeted a link to the donation page, writing "Please help Ellie and her family get through this most difficult time. Thank you!!"
The band later announced that they will hold a benefit concert in Cincinnati for Richardson on Dec. 15, with the proceeds of ticket sales going to Richardson's medical expenses.
Nick and his brother Drew Lachey opened the bar in their hometown in 2015.
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