BATON ROUGE - One man is recovering after being shot in the head three months ago. The incident has turned Ronnie Weaver's life upside down, he is now unable to work.

"Things have been a lot different for me," said Weaver.

Weaver was picking up a pack of cigarettes for his neighbor at a convenience store along Staring Lane on October 1, 2025. That's when he saw someone steal his electric scooter, which was parked outside. 

"I ran after him, when I caught up to him, he had a backpack and pulled it out and started shooting at me, and he shot me like eight times, one of them striking me in the head," said Weaver.

Weaver fell into a ditch, yet somehow got up to alert someone. Then he passed out.

"I knew if I lay in that ditch I'd be dead," he said.

He woke up days later, pieced together by dozens of staples. Part of his skull was removed to allow for the swelling to go down. He has another surgery in February to put his skull back together.

Jamal McKenzie, 17, is in jail for the crime. McKenzie is facing attempted first-degree murder and armed robbery charges. He's being held on a $150,000 bond.

Weaver later learned someone had followed McKenzie and says that's how police were able to track him down. 

"A good Samaritan found them, and if it wasn't for that, he might still be out there," said Weaver.

Three months after the incident, Weaver is walking and talking. He's thankful for that.

"I thank God, that's for sure," he said.

But now he's unable to work and his bills are stacking up. Weaver is worried about losing the home where he's lived for seven years.

"I'm three months behind in rent, my landlord has been good, but I know he wants his money, too," he said.

Weaver has a caseworker, who has helped him file for emergency assistance and is working to apply for disability. Weaver is still waiting on those funds and, in the meantime, has set up a GoFundMe to help pay the bills.