ADEL, Ga. – Since the end of December, Cook County has been the subject of several violent incidents, which included the murder of one of the community’s most beloved citizens, Kimberly Williams – allegedly killed by her husband Jerome Williams in a fit of rage.

Domestic violence takes front and center as yet another near-fatality from last week dominates the minds and hearts of those in the Cook County community.

Last week, on Thursday, January 24, not even a month after Williams was killed, Keairra Carter Rockmore, 28, was shot seven times by her estranged husband McKenzie Rockmore, around 10:22 a.m.

Family friend Chandral Brown posted on Facebook following the shooting:

The Adel Police Department received calls Thursday morning saying that someone was lying in the driveway of Glendale Trailer Park on North Elm Street.

Keairra had been staying at family member’s house, but had returned to the Elm Street home to retrieve a jacket Thursday morning. Unbeknownst to Keairra, McKenzie was inside the home hiding underneath the bed while she talked on the phone, according to what Keairra has been able to communicate to her mother Christine Carter, also of Adel.

According to Carter, her daughter was taken by surprise and had no time to protect herself when McKenzie opened fire, shooting her in the chest, near her heart, her left arm, and the remaining five shots in her abdominal area.

“She was on the phone and came from around the bed and didn’t even know he was there,” Carter told Valdosta Today Tuesday just after noon. “He was underneath the bed, no telling how long he was lying there waiting for her.”

Carter has not pressed her daughter for more details, fearing it would inhibit her recovery. Employed at Micro Chem Company in Adel, Carter has had good support from her job, family and friends, traveling everyday as soon as she gets off to be by her daughter’s side in ICU.

Following the shooting, McKenzie took off running, causing police to shutdown the Cook County middle and elementary schools located in proximity to the shooting.

Keairra was quickly losing large amounts of blood but managed to crawl out of the home and used her knuckles, which are badly scratched and bruised, to drag herself to find help.

The Adel Police Department put out a “be-on-the-lookout” (BOLO) on its Facebook post, which was shared hundreds of times.

Meanwhile, Keairra clung to life. Transported to a nearby hospital, she was so weak from blood loss, according to her mother, that much-needed surgery was delayed until she was put into an induced coma.

According to a report from the Adel Police Department on Friday, McKenzie turned himself in to authorities and was taken into custody at the Cook County Jail, charged with aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

So far, Keairra has undergone at least two surgeries and on Monday was removed from a ventilator.

Brown continued updating the public on Keairra’s condition Monday:

Though Keairra had left Rockmore and moved on with her life, he continued to bother her, according to her mother.

The two had been married for several years but the relationship was tumultuous. Her mother reported that she had tried once to fight back but her efforts resulted in being charged herself and put on probation. Keairra reportedly was at a loss for what to do to protect herself. Even removing him from their home was futile, according to Carter.

Family and friends have prayed devotedly and left Keairra countless messages on her Facebook page.

Keairra’s mother Christine thanked everyone for their prayers and asked that everyone continue to keep her daughter and family in their prayers. “And you give God still all the glory,” she said.

Later Monday, Brown again posted:

Once off the ventilator, Keairra was able to mouth the words, “God got me, y’all continue to pray for me.”

As surgeons work to piece her badly wounded body back together, the faith of her supporters has been unstoppable.

Today, on Tuesday, her mother got word from the hospital only seconds before she spoke to Valdosta Today that Keairra has been able to get up out of bed and even took some steps.

“It truly is a miracle,” her mother said, joy heard in her voice.

For a young woman who had been attempting to get away from her dangerous spouse, Keairra is a testament to women all over the world who have faced domestic violence.

Carter told Valdosta Today, “When I got the call it was such a blessing. Thank God this floor is concrete because I’m about to stomp a hole in it.”

She is on her way to see her daughter.

Valdosta Today will continue to give updates of Keairra’s recovery. Her family asked that your prayers continue to lift her up and heal her body.