'I'm thankful I'm here to see the world and my kids': Pregnant Ferguson woman who lost her EYE after police shot her car with bean bag during violent protests speaks out

• Dornella Conner, 24, was blinded in left eye when police fired at her car
• Also left with blurry vision in her right eye following incident in Ferguson
• But despite injuries, she has said she is simply thankful to still be alive
• Mother-of-two, who is 12 weeks' pregnant, also said she forgives police
• She was injured at gas station amid protests over Michael Brown verdict
• Officers say her boyfriend, De'Angelas Lee, drove directly toward them
• Lee has been arrested on assault charges; victim is recovering at home
• Comes as angry protesters have taken to streets of over 170 US cities

By Sophie Jane Evans for MailOnline

Published: 10:13 EST, 1 December 2014 | Updated: 10:13 EST, 1 December 2014

A pregnant woman who lost her left eye after police shot at her car during violent protests in Ferguson, Missouri, has spoken of how thankful she is to still be alive.

Dornella Conner, 24, was reportedly being driven away by her boyfriend from a gas station in the St Louis suburb when an officer fired a 'bean bag' round at their vehicle, showering her with glass.

The mother-of-two, who is around 12 weeks' pregnant, was rushed to hospital with severe injuries to her left eye. Despite medics' best efforts, she was left blinded, with blurry vision in her right eye.

But speaking at her home in O'Fallon, St Louis, on Monday, she said she is simply thankful to have survived the shooting, saying: 'I am thankful I am here to see the world and you and my kids.'

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Blinded: Dornella Conner (seen in hospital) was reportedly being driven away by her boyfriend, De'Angelas Lee, from a gas station in Ferguson, St Louis suburb when an officer fired a 'bean bag' round at their vehicle

Before the shooting: The mother-of-two, who is around 12 weeks' pregnant, was taken to hospital with severe injuries to her left eye. Despite medics' best efforts, she was left blinded, with blurry vision in her right eye

Thankful: But speaking at her home in O'Fallon, St Louis, on Monday, she said she is simply thankful to have survived the shooting. Above, Miss Conner is pictured hugging one of her two young daughters in hospital

Miss Conner, who has two young daughters, said she was not participating in the protests against the grand jury's verdict not to indict officer Darren Wilson in the Michael Brown case when she was shot.

Instead, she and her boyfriend, De'Angelas Lee, had stopped at the BP gas station in New Halls Ferry Road to fill up their car and purchase 'some snacks', she said.

However, a St Louis County Police Department spokesman said Lee deliberately drove directly at officers in the station's parking lot, forcing them to have to jump out of the car's path.

Lee, who reportedly came to a halt as police opened fire, has been arrested on second-degree assault charges following the incident last Tuesday, according to KHOU.com.

Bloodied: Miss Conner, who has two young daughters, said she was not participating in the protests against the grand jury's verdict not to indict officer Darren Wilson in the Michael Brown case when she was shot

Arrest: Instead, she (seen, left, with her daughter) and her boyfriend, De'Angelas Lee (right), had stopped at the BP gas station to fill up their car and purchase 'some snacks', she said. Lee has since been arrested

Grateful to well-wishers: Earlier this week, Miss Conner, who is now recovering at home, took to Facebook to express her her gratitude to well-wishers and her devastation at her boyfriend's arrest (pictured)

Describing the moment she was struck by shards of glass, Miss Conner, who was sitting in the passenger side of the car said: 'All I felt was a blast in my face.'

She added: 'I am hurt because I will never see my left eye again. I have been getting nightmares about it. I am just trying to stay strong.

'I'm just thankful that I am alive because of my kids. I am just thankful because I thought I was dead that night.'

WHAT IS A 'BEAN BAG' ROUND?

A non-lethal bean-bag round

A bean-bag round, or flexible baton round, is a projectile used by law enforcement officers to incapacitate suspects without killing them.

They are fired from a shotgun and take the form of lead shots housed in a small 'pillow'.

They are designed not to penetrate skin, but are capable of causing muscle spasms.

Deaths from bean bag rounds are rare. They have killed people in the past by causing internal bleeding, breaking the neck and even fatally damaging the heart by sending pieces of broken rib into it.

Shotguns with bean-bag rounds are normally colored bright orange to prevent lethal rounds being loaded.

Earlier this week, Miss Conner, who is now recovering at home, took to Facebook to express her her gratitude to well-wishers and her devastation at her boyfriend's arrest.

Under the alternate name 'Lenora Prince', she wrote: 'I'm hurt because I can't see again and my love of my life is not here, but I forgive those who have done wrong things to me.'

In another post, she told her friends: 'Remember god is in control, not you and me... if you have children kiss them, tell you them you love them, because life is never promised.'

Miss Conner has also set up a Facebook page, 'Dornnella Is Alive', on which she has written the short description: 'I am thankful to be alive'.

She has also revealed how she is unable to receive a cornea transplant because her injuries are too severe.

Police initially attended the scene following reports of looting and rioting. During Tuesday night's protests over unarmed 18-year-old Brown's fatal shooting on August 9 in Ferguson, 16 people were arrested, officers said.

Last Thursday, Miss Conner told Kmov.com that several police vehicles had blocked their exit from the gas station ‘from the side and the back’ in the minutes before she was shot.

The victim's father, Donnell, said he was 'very disappointed at police tactic'’, adding: ‘There was no reason to fire upon an innocent person who was sitting in a vehicle.’

Meanwhile, Miss Cornell's sister, Tikal Goldie, said: ‘I really just want to have closure and justice for my sister.’

It comes as tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets of more than 170 cities across America to protest against the jury's decision not to indict Wilson, who is white.

On Sunday, furious St Louis cops demanded that NFL players who made the 'hands up, don't shoot' gesture in solidarity with Ferguson protesters are punished by their superiors.

Sisters: Miss Cornell's sister, Tikal Goldie (left), said: ‘I really just want to have justice for my sister' (right)

Injured: Miss Conner, who also has blurry vision in her right eye, is pictured after the shooting last Thursday

Anger: Ms Goldie speaks to the media just hours after her sister was shot with a 'bean bag' by an officer

Officials from the St Louis County Police Association - the police union for the area including Ferguson - said that it was 'profoundly disappointed' in the five players who made the gesture.

Officers released an angry statement, saying the players 'ignored mountains of evidence' vindicating Wilson over the shooting of Brown.

The statement, given to KSDK, also described the gesture, which protesters have adopted across the nation, as: 'tasteless, offensive and inflammatory'.

Since Monday's verdict, there have been riots, looting and buildings burned in Ferguson.

Standing guard: The National Guard stand watch out in front of the Ferguson Market in Missouri on Sunday

Across the street from the stadium, about 75 protesters gathered in the second half as about 30 police wearing riot gear watched from a safe distance.

Protesters chanted ‘Hands up, don't shoot!’ ‘No Justice, No Football!’ ‘This is what Democracy looks like,’ and ‘We're here for Mike Brown.’

Miss Conner was due to visit her doctor for a follow-up appointment on Monday.

Shooting: Officer Darren Wilson (left) fatally shot 18-year-old Michael Brown (right) in Ferguson on August 9