ONLY ON 13: Man paralyzed after shooting outside Lincoln Bar thought he 'wasn't going to make it'

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A man who survived a shooting outside Lincoln Bar on Washington Avenue nearly two weeks ago said he is now paralyzed from the stomach down. According to Houston police, he is one of four victims who were hit by the gunfire.

Investigators said it started when two men were fighting inside the bar and got kicked out by security at about 11:30 p.m. on March 2. When the two got into a black SUV, someone from the vehicle allegedly started shooting towards the entrance.

Two off-duty deputies with the Harris County Sheriff's Office were working extra jobs as security at the time. The Houston Police Department said they didn't fire back because they didn't want to risk injuring anyone else with the large number of people in the area.

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Darien Mann said he was not part of the fight but got caught in the crosshairs of the shooting. He remembered standing in line and waiting to get inside Lincoln Bar with two of his friends. After the first gunshot, Mann said he immediately felt pain in his chest and collapsed to the ground.

He spoke only to ABC13 in a video call from his ICU bed at Ben Taub Hospital.

"It just felt like my heart wasn't beating anymore. I just remember lying there and feeling like I wasn't going to make it. I think I was just losing too much blood and panicking, so I ended up blacking out," Mann said.

Jonathan Doze, one of Mann's friends with him that night, wasn't hit by any of the bullets but said his main focus was keeping his friend alive through all the chaos.

"There was one point where he went from talking to going quiet," Doze said. "I told him, 'Look. I need you talking. Don't waste your breath, but just small words. Keep talking until the ambulance gets here.'"

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After waking up in the hospital, Mann said doctors told him the bullet hit his spinal cord, paralyzing him from the stomach down. He shared that he is a 29-year-old father working as a mortician to help support his 8-year-old daughter.

"It's a hard curveball. My body was the main source of my work, doing a lot of lifting and caring for the deceased. Just hearing doctors tell me that I'm never going to walk again, it's not easy for anyone to get that news. I didn't know that one night of trying to have fun would ruin my life forever," Mann said.

Mann said he is speaking out, because he wants justice for what happened.

"The best case scenario is for these guys to be caught and spend time behind bars. Houston has gotten out of hand. I don't understand why people are just choosing to shoot," he said.

Doze said while the road ahead to recovery may be long and difficult, he is thankful that Mann is alive.

"I would rather have him in a wheelchair than in a casket. Even if he can't walk, he can still enjoy life. He can still eat. He can still laugh. He can still go out with us," Doze said.

A GoFundMe fundraiser has been created to help Mann with medical expenses.

Houston police said no suspects have been arrested in the case but are working on active leads in the investigation. If you have any information, you are urged to contact HPD Major Assaults Division at 713-308-8800 or submit tips anonymously with Crime Stoppers.

Tipsters must contact Crime Stoppers directly to remain anonymous by calling 713-222-TIPS (8477), submitting an online tip, or through the Crime Stoppers mobile app.

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