Hi, I Survived listeners. I'm Marissa Pinson. And before we get into this week's episode, I just want to remind you that episodes of I Survived as well as the A&E Classic podcast's cold case files, city confidential, and American justice are all available ad free on the new A&E Crime and Investigation Channel on Apple Podcast and Apple Plus for just $4.99 a month or $39.99 a year. And now onto the show.

This episode contains subject matter that may be disturbing to some listeners. Listener discretion is advised.

I know I have like at least several seconds more to live. I mean, just who knows knows what you would be thinking about, you know, in that kind of situation.

Real people.

The snow kind of felt like a shark or something that was just slowly circling me.

Who faced death?

Why am I on the ground amidst all this twisted metal?

This is a highway patrol. Hang with me, sir, okay? And live to tell how. I knew he was going to

shoot me. I was still planning as if I was going to survive that and what was I going to do next.

This is I survived.

It's June 2002 in Killeen, Texas.

Bridget has just returned home to her apartment.

Just like I'd done many hundreds of times before that, I parked in my spot, and went straight

to my apartment, went inside, locked two dead bolts and the chain, and that means you're safe

inside. That means you're safe at home. It was a gated complex. It was in kind of an older part

of town. It was like an okay neighborhood.

And but the gate actually was stuck in the open position.

I was kind of taking my time getting ready for bed,

brushing my teeth and taking out my contacts and putting on sweatpants and stuff like you do.

I was just walking in like a short hallway in my apartment.

And then I heard this loud boom on the front wall of my apartment.

And it just, I just like froze because I knew then something was very, very wrong.

...