Bloomington teen hero who was shot in the head by neighbor returns home

After spending more than two months hospitalized and in rehab after being shot in the head by her neighbor, a Bloomington girl has returned home. 

Identified as Makayla Saulter-Outlaw in a GoFundMe that has raised in excess of $127,000, the 13-year-old returned home after finishing inpatient rehab last week. She's now attending school via distance learning. 

Makayla was one of three people shot on the 8300 block of 15th Avenue in Bloomington on Aug. 30. Jason Michael Mesich, 48, is accused of fatally shooting his 47-year-old wife, Angela Mesich, and then turning a gun on his neighbors, shooting Makayla in the head and wounding a 29-year-old woman. 

The online fundraiser says Makayla was holding her 1-year-old niece, Winter, when she was shot, with KARE 11 reporting that Makayla continued to cradle and protect the child despite having been severely injured. 

"She was found cradling Winter, whose [SIC] life she saved. She was shot somewhere in the back of the head," the online fundraiser says. The 29-year-old woman, identified by KARE 11 as Makayla's sister, Canisha, was shot three times, once in her leg, left hip and her right ankle. 

The criminal complaint states that they are neighbors of Mesich, and that "a man suddenly walked up to them and began shooting at them" as they were moving items into a U-Haul parked in front of their house. The motive for the shooting was explained as follows in the charging document:

Regarding the neighbors who were shot, defendant stated that they were not good neighbors, and when asked why 12 year old Victim 2 was shot, he stated that maybe it was the opportunity. Defendant further stated that he hated all children. When asked further about shooting the neighbors, Defendant stated, “I may have spotted them,” or that possibly they had seen what happened to Victim 1.

Mesich has been charged with one count of second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree attempted murder.