[5] Payton Washington, aged 18, Heather Roth, aged 21, and two other Woodlands Elite Cheer Company cheerleaders were returning to their vehicles in the H-E-B parking lot when Roth mistakenly opened the door of a vehicle she thought to be hers, and found Pedro Tello Rodriguez Jr. in the passenger seat.
Rodriguez then exited his vehicle, and Roth rolled down the car window to apologize to him, but he threw up his hands and opened fire, wounding her and Washington.
Heather Roth was grazed by a bullet, but Payton Washington was shot twice, in the leg and in the back, and was critically wounded.
[7] In April 2024, Washington helped Baylor University win its ninth consecutive cheerleading national title.
[7][9] At his first hearing on November 6, 2024, his attorney stated: "Pedro was understandably startled by the sudden intrusion by Ms. Washington.