‘This is a nightmare we can't wake up from' 10-year-old shot, critically Injured by mom's ex-boyfriend, police say

It has been one week since a Midlothian man was accused of driving 60 miles across DFW and opening fire on his ex-girlfriend’s son.

The 10-year-old continues to fight for his life at Cook Children’s Hospital in Fort Worth.

The violent ambush happened July 4 at around 7:30 p.m. outside a mobile home in the 3900 block of Teasley Lane in Denton, according to police.

The attack left the home’s front door and porch riddled with bullet holes and many unanswered questions.

“The number one question is why would you hurt an innocent child,” asked Michael Cross, the victim’s grandfather. “It’s incomprehensible. I can’t even comprehend it. It’s malicious. It’s vicious. It’s horrible.”

Michael and Vickie Cross say their sweet and lively grandson Cody John Olson is in a medically induced coma after being shot six times.

“He’s hooked up to all these tubes and all these monitors and a ventilator and it’s just he can’t breathe on his own,” he said.

The boy’s maternal grandmother is a pediatric nurse.

“To think that a large-gauge bullet went into my grandson’s head and it didn’t exit,” she said. “That’s why we don’t know the level of damage. There are no words. This is devastating. This is a nightmare we can’t wake up from.”

They say the man accused of the crime is someone their family has known for years.

Travis Rollins is their daughter’s ex-boyfriend whom she broke up with approximately one month ago. Rollins, grandmother says, even became a father figure to her daughter’s son.

“Cody John adored him,” she said. “I can’t imagine what he thought when he saw him coming at him and shooting him with an AR. I will never until I take my last breath, I will never understand how someone can do that. There’s no reason on Earth.”

Rollins is accused of driving from Midlothian to Denton where he knew his ex was helping her grandmother move in.

“He got out of his truck and just started firing right at the mobile home, at Cody John and at Becky,” said grandpa.

The gunman missed mom who was coming outside but shot her little boy six times, including in the head.

“She ran outside with bullets coming at her to her son but by this time he had emptied all of his ammo and cowardly got back in his truck and left,” she said.

Hours later, Duncanville police spotted and arrested the 39-year-old for a warrant on an unrelated aggravated assault case out of Ellis County.

The Cross’ says Rollins is an ex-Marine.

His criminal history includes two additional aggravated assaults with deadly weapon charges, including a 2004 conviction for using his truck to pin and drag a man underneath it for over 50 feet during a fight.

Rollins was sentenced to court supervision, according to online court records.

In 2008, Rollins was charged with aggravated assault and family violence after he reportedly assaulted his then-pregnant girlfriend and threatened to kill her with a knife.

Rollins was sentenced to 150 days in jail.

“I hope that Travis Rollins is locked up for the rest of his life,” said Mrs. Cross.

The damage, she says, is done.

“[Cody John] is forever altered,” she said listing off milestones her grandson has not yet enjoyed.

“This child is the innocent victim of a malicious crime that has to do with gun violence, and it needs to stop,” said his grandfather through tears. “Children got to quit dying.”

Rollins is currently in jail on a $1.1 million bond, charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Cody John’s grandfather set up a verified GoFundMe to help with costly medical bills on what they hope is a road to recovery.

“Cody John is such a sweet little boy. He has such an outgoing personality. He’s all boy and yet he likes to get in the kitchen and cook with his mother. Loves his German shepherd. He really is a remarkable little boy,” said the grandmother. “We walked the dog two weeks ago and he said: Gigi, can I have your puppy? And I said: No, but you can come visit him. I would give anything to have him back intact as he was. We want the community to be aware of this tragedy. We need prayers and if anyone sees fits, to donate to the GoFundMe because my daughter is a single mother.”