“I asked them if they thought it was funny, and they said ‘no.’

“I asked them, then ‘why the hell did you shoot me’ and they said they didn’t know.

“I told them I had their tag number and was going to report them to the police,” she said.

When police arrived, Ratkovich declined to be transported to the hospital by ambulance. “I told them if I was going to die, I think I would have by now. I work at the hospital and pretty much knew the extent of the wound and felt like I’d be all right,” she said.

Instead, Ratkovich had her roommate take her to the hospital, where she was given a clean bill of health.

“They’re extremely lucky it happened like it did. If it had hit my carotid artery, they could have manslaughter or murder charges against them,” she said.

The projectile could have easily put out her eye or paralyzed her, she said.

“I can’t believe they shot me. I’d love to sit down and talk to them. I’m sure something like this never entered their minds.

“It’s a gun, for God’s sake. It could easily have killed me,” Ratkovich said.

Norman Police Lt. Tom Easley said no arrests had been made Tuesday evening. He said the case was “an active investigation,” and declined further comment.

Ratkovich said she’s “contacted an attorney to handle it from here.”

“It’s a serious issue. I don’t think they thought of all that before they pulled the trigger. I guarantee they’re going to think about it now,” she said.

Tom Blakey

366-3540

tblakey@normantranscript.com