23-year-old victim testifies about details of 2012 robbery turned shooting

Shannon Gaskins testified Tuesday she will never walk again after being shot in her apartment when two men came to her door asking for marijuana April 20, 2012.

Gaskins tearing up, said she is permanently paralyzed after being shot one time in her spinal cord.

'I was in pain,” Gaskins, 23, of Cedar Rapids, said. 'I was numb. I couldn't breath and my legs felt really weird.”

Gaskins identified Raymond Sellers, who's on trial this week for attempted murder and other charges in her shooting, as one of the men who came to her door that day, along with Teran Huff, who pleaded last year to shooting her and her boyfriend Alexander White, 24.

Sellers, 24, of Chicago, is charged with two counts of attempted murder, first-degree robbery, two counts of willful injury causing serious injury, conspiracy to commit a forcible felony, going armed with intent and possession of a firearm as a felon. Sellers, Huff, 26, of Des Moines, and Shantres Johnson, 22, of Cedar Rapids, are accused of going to Gaskins that night to rob her and Huff shot the couple during the incident.

The defense claims Sellers just went with Huff to buy marijuana. He had no knowledge of the planned robbery.

Huff pleaded guilty in this case last year and was sentenced to 55 years in prison. Johnson's trial is set for later this month. Both Johnson and Huff will testify during this trial.

Gaskins said Johnson, who was her friend since childhood, was also with the men that night but she didn't come into the apartment. When Sellers and Huff knocked on the door that night, asking for 'weed,” Johnson was standing by the apartment next door. Gaskins said Johnson had a hoodie over her head and seemed like she was attempting to hide.

Gaskins said she had an argument with Johnson two days before. Johnson was angry with Gaskins because Gaskins' sister had babysat Johnson's neice and the child had been injured, Johnson claimed. Johnson's sister reported the incident to the Department of Human Services and filed a police report.

Assistant Linn County Attorney Jason Burns asked Gaskins if Johnson knew she had money.

Gaskins said she did. Gaskins said her grandfather died and left her a trust with about $45,000. She often bought Johnson meals, food or other items she needed.

Gaskins said after Huff asked her for marijuana and also asked if White had any but she said no. White went into the bedroom when they first heard a knock at the door.

She then saw a gun in Huff's hand and he raised it and asked if she had any 'weed” now. She said no again and started stepping back into the apartment as the two men approached her. She sat down on a loveseat and the two men went around the corner to the bedroom that White was in.

Gaskins said she couldn't see them but heard kick the bedroom door open and then about six shots were fired. Gaskins lean over on the sofa and covered her ears. Huff and Sellers then came back into the living room area and Huff shot her on the left side, near her ribs. The men then left the apartment.

Gaskins said White then 'hobbled out” of the bedroom and he was bleeding from his groin and stomach area. She then called 911.

Testimony continues this afternoon and the trial is expected to wrap up this week.

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