‘Vanderpump Rules’: What Happened to Shayne Davis? The 2012 Shooting That Left Him Paralyzed
Viewers are slowly getting to know the new cast of Vanderpump Rules, including Shayne Davis, the only main cast member who doesn’t actually work at SUR. We’ve already seen signs of a romance brewing between the model and Natalie Maguire, which will continue to be explored throughout the season.
Back in 2012, Davis underwent a major life-altering event that changed the course of his life. Scroll down to learn more about the incident and how it affected the new Bravo star.
What happened to Shayne Davis?
Davis revealed in a 2024 Instagram post that he was “given a second chance at life” after surviving a shooting on August 19, 2012. He was shot twice, “once in the mid back, through the lung, and another right through the shoulder,” according to Hill Country News.
“I got shot a couple times in the back which nearly took my life and paralyzed me below the waist,” Davis shared. “I was told I may never walk again but by the grace of a power greater than myself I was given a second chance at life. Since regaining my legs I’ve walked for Balmain runway show, hiked America’s tallest mountain and done a marathon through Yellowstone.”
Davis was 19 years old at the time of the shooting, which took place in a Walmart parking lot in Cedar Park, Texas. He was listed as in “critical condition” one day after the incident, according to local ABC news station KVUE.
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Suspected shooter Soloman Onwukaife allegedly opened fire after an altercation at a nearby party, according to CNN. Austin Morita, a witness to the shooting, said, “He shot his best friend, and then he clicked it again and right before he could click it, one of my girl friends pushed me out of the way and he shot one of the other guys.”
Another witness added, “He shot his friend in front of him twice and then he shot me in the chest. My friend turned to run and he got shot in the shoulder, and then another kid got shot in the ribs.”
Onwukaife was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and was briefly hospitalized for injuries to his face.
Is Shayne Davis sober?
Yes, Davis is sober today, but he said the shooting was the “consequence from an adolescent drug addiction and poor role models.” He revealed in his 2024 Instagram post that he “spent most of [his] 20s drug-free,” and in October 2025, he shared that he was three-years sober.
“Relapse has been a real part of my story,” he shared in a social media video. “One thing I’ve learned is that it’s about progress, not perfection, and the only way to work on that is one day at a time.”
Davis now works as a group facilitator in addiction treatment. “I have had the honor and privilege of working with at-risk drug addicts in the treatment space in an attempt to pass on what has been given to me. A new life,” he shared.
Vanderpump Rules, Season 12, Tuesdays, 9/8c, Bravo
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