How victim Shawna Scott survived after being shot by Worst Neighbor Ever killer Frances Zaayer

Shawna and David Scott thought they were doing family friend Frances Zaayer a favor when they let her life with them, but tragically, it cost David his life, and left Shawna with life changing injuries.

The horrific story is the focus of episode one of Netflix's Worst Neighbor Ever, titled Finally Snapped.

The episode tells the story of the Kentucky couple, and how the old family friend, who had made the families life hell after moving in with them following her marriage breakdown in 2017.

Things went from bad to worse, and Zaayer later moved next door, but after multiple arguments and a physical fight, Zaayer reported Shawna to the police. When charges were dropped with no evidence, in which Zaayer was left unhurt, things took a tragic turn when she showed up at their house with a gun.

On the fateful day in 2018, David tragically passed away after being shot in the chest. Shawna, who's face was completely shattered by a separate bullet fired towards her during the incident, managed to survive the shooting.

The bullet is reported to have gone through Shawna's nose, later coming out her head. According to the American Association of Neurosurgical Surgeons (AANS), the trajectory is one of the key factors in whether a gunshot wound to the head is survivable, as well as the caliber of the gun and the size and speed of the bullet.

A projectile that avoids vital blood vessels and major brain tissue is more likely to result in survivable injuries than those that follow a less critical path.

For example, the AANS states that one which 'goes through the right frontal lobe tip toward the forehead and well above the base of the skull is likely to cause relatively mild clinical damage' due to the fact it 'passes through no vital brain tissue or vascular structures.'

However, a similar one 'passing downward from the left frontal lobe tip toward the temporal lobe and brainstem,' is more likely to be fatal due to the passing through 'eloquent brain tissue'.

Shawna survived after being shot in the fact (Image: Netflix)

Shawna still faced critical injuries, entering a coma after the shooting. She later awoke to the devastating news that her husband, David hadn't made it. She was also left deaf in one ear and blind in one eye.

Recalling the horrifying day her husband was killed, on the Netflix documentary, Shawna said: "I remember this awful bang, and I was down.

"I can recall being able to look out of the sliding glass door, and saw David laying there, and I can remember shouting for someone to help him."

Zaaye was sentenced to 35 years in jail after being charged with murder, attempted murder, and burglary following the long-standing neighborhood dispute.

She won't be eligible for parole until 2038.

Worst Neighbor Ever is available to stream on Netflix now.