Tragic update for teen shot while working at Five Guys in Oxnard

The heartbroken mother of a teenage soccer player hit by a stray bullet while working at Five Guys in Oxnard has provided an update on her son’s injuries nearly a month after the shooting.

Jonathan “JJ” Vasquez Jr., 19, was on a break at the fast food restaurant on Aug. 28 when he was shot in the spine after an altercation between a 16-year-old suspect and two other people outside the restaurant.

JJ was rushed to the ICU and his family said doctors told them he shouldn’t walk again, NBC Los Angeles reported.

“To me, God has a plan for him. That’s what we hold on to; that’s what he holds onto every day,” his mother, Brenda Cervantes, told the outlet. “He says, ‘Mom, I have a goal.’ Repeat it every day. He says: “I am strong. I am worthy of it,'”

“He always tells me, ‘Don’t hold grudges. Even through all this mess, he says, “Leave it to God.” Everyone who meets him wins their heart,” Cervantes continued.

His mother also said JJ had big dreams, was saving up to buy a truck, and wanted to pursue a career in finance.

A GoFundMe set up for the 19-year-old also described the extensive damage to his spine and nerves, noting that “he now lives with complete quadriplegia, meaning he is paralyzed and cannot move his arms or legs.”

The fundraiser raised more than $84,750 of its $90,000 goal.

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JJ had just graduated from high school, where he was captain of his soccer team. He had also started his first job while attending Ventura College and joined the Track team.

The teen was taking a break inside the burger restaurant when one of the bullets passed through the glass door, hitting him in the spine.

A 16-year-old suspect has been arrested, but his identity has not yet been released.