A Black man was shot seven times in what police are investigating as a possible hate crime.
Bobby Gayle, a cement mason, had been finishing up some work Friday night with a friend in Stockton, California when the driver of a pick-up truck almost ran over them — his brother, Marlon Gayle, explained to KCRA. When the 45-year-old told the driver to slow down, the person got out of the vehicle, hurled racial epithets, and started firing shots towards him:
“My brother threw his hands up, [and] was like, ‘Hey, man, slow down. What’s going on, like slow down.’ The guy got out his truck, parked his truck, got out, and he started saying the ‘n’ word and just started shooting.”
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Disgusting. Even though he was injured from the shooting, Bobby had managed to not only call 911 but reach out to his brother in order to ask for prayers. According to KCRA, he said in the voicemail:
“Marlon, I’ve been shot. Pray for me. I swear to God. Please. In the name of Jesus. Hallelujah.”
Fortunately, first responders arrived on the scene just in time. While two of the bullets reportedly struck him in the face, none of them had penetrated any major arteries and organs. The father of five remains in stable condition at the moment and on the road to recovery. Truly lucky! Now, police are looking into the shooting as a possible hate crime and asking for the public’s help in finding the person responsible for this unprovoked attack. Assistant Police Chief Jim Chraska said to KCRA:
“We take these types of crimes very seriously and so we’re investigating it to the fullest. We have some detectives assigned to it, as well as an officer that’s assigned to the FBI task force.”
In a statement obtained by People, the gunman was described as “a short, white male, in his thirties, wearing a dark-colored jacket and jeans.” It continued:
“The shooter’s vehicle is described as a late model Chevrolet Silverado extended cab truck with aftermarket chrome-colored wheels and tint on the back three windows.”
And despite the horrific incident and racist remarks, Marlon said his family is leaning on their faith and positivity during this time:
“We believe in love. We believe in forgiveness, but at the same time, white supremacy, hatred, bigotry, and all of that — we stand against that.
There reportedly is a $10,000 reward for any details about the shooting leading to an arrest. If you have information, the Stockton Police Department has asked people to call 209-973-8377 or 209-937-8323. We’re wishing Bobby a speedy recovery!
[Image via Bobby Gayle/Facebook]
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