Girl seriously hurt in fight, speaks to NBC 6

SHREVEPORT, La - It's a story you saw first on NBC 6.

A girl, caught in the middle of a fight, gets hit in the face with a metal bar.

She now speaks for the first time about what happened.

It was supposed to be a quick stop at the convenience store.

However, it quickly turned into a night the couple will never forget.

Around 9:00pm Sunday, Jared Pelletier and Jessica Byrnes-Laird drove to the A&Y Quick Stop in the MLK neighborhood.

Jessica stayed in the car, as Jared went inside.

"I walk out of the station and there's these guys staring at [Jessica] saying sexual comments," said Pelletier.

A fight starts.

However, as the couple tries driving away, things take a turn.

"One of them picked up a brass rod and threw it through the passenger-side and hit me in the face," said Byrnes-Laird. "I looked down and saw my teeth in my hand and I immediately gushed blood."

"I'm trying to get her to calm down and I call 911 instantly," said Pelletier.

For the couple, the experience is a nightmare.

And the police response has them asking questions.

"I don't know why it took so long for them to get there," said Pelletier.

"According to records that we have, it took about eight minutes from the time the call was dispatched, until the officer arrived on-scene," said Cpl. Marcus Hines. "9:30pm-9:38pm is what we have on our records."

However, Pelletier's phone records show he called 911 three times.

The first, at 9:22.

"Anytime you have an incident, you have to consider the call when it goes out," said Cpl. Hines. "It goes to the fire department first, then it's received by police who are dispatched."

For now, the couple is focusing on what's important.

Finding those involved, and Jessica's recovery.

"Getting used to eating and talking, it's been difficult," said Byrnes-Laird. "It'll take months of endurance and patience, but it'll be fine. Getting new teeth, and getting my smile back is something to look forward to."

Jessica received multiple facial injuries, including losing ten of her teeth.

She hopes to start the reconstruction process next week.

Shreveport Police say at least four people were involved.

They do have a few leads.

The family has set up a gofundme page here.