Veterans’ firearm injuries

Charles

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Charles served six years in the Navy. Several years after completing his service, he was trying to take cover when gang-related gunfire broke out in his neighborhood. He “laid down on the ground behind a vehicle trying to take cover and was hit in the bottom of my foot.” After being taken by ambulance to the hospital, he was released the next day and given crutches to help him get around. He says “it took me about 3-4 weeks so that I would put weight on my feet.” Charles has experienced ongoing physical impacts, saying “I can walk but not like I used to, I have a stagger sometimes.” He reflects that “it could have been worse, and I think God it wasn’t.”

After the experience he’s had, Charles says that “individually, you have to always try to be as careful as you can. You have to be very cautious and aware of your surroundings.” For family and friends of someone who has experienced a firearm injury, he recommends to “cater to the person who’s been injured and get them the help that they need if they ask for it.”

 

 

Charles recalls being caught in the crossfire of a gang shooting while he was “just minding my own business.”

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Charles recalls being caught in the crossfire of a gang shooting while he was “just minding my own business.”

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I was just outside and the next thing I knew there was shots across the street close to the yard I was in. I wasn’t really watching them, but I could hear them already cussing. I didn’t know there was a rivalry. They just started shooting. They didn’t care who was there. The next thing I knew, bullets are flying, and I got bullets passing by my head. I’m like, “oh, Lord.” And I got down behind a vehicle, laid down on my stomach. I was hit in the bottom of my feet. Nobody was hurt except me. I had somebody call an ambulance.

 

Charles describes his recovery process after being shot in the foot.

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Charles describes his recovery process after being shot in the foot.

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They put a wrap around, to wrap my feet up. They gave me some crutches. I stayed overnight. I can walk but not like I used to, but you can’t hardly tell, it’s like I have a stagger sometimes. It took me about three or four weeks to put weight on my feet and walk on it because they had me wrapped up in a cast too. I had a cast on my feet for a little while. So, after they took the cast off, it was about four or five weeks. I got to where I could put a little weight on my feet and at about six weeks, I was able to put on a shoe. I didn’t get any infection. As of right now, my foot swells up and feels like the bottom of my toes is broken, but it’s just a numb feeling I had all the time.

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