3 days ago
‘I'm not going anywhere': Baton Rouge man survives shooting while improving his community
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — One man is recovering from his injuries after someone shot him in broad daylight.
Robert McKey was renovating a home for the Mid-City Redevelopment Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving Mid-City. But he didn't think his passion for the community would land him in the hospital.
'I'm not going anywhere. I got shot in the face and spit out a bullet, nothing is going to take me from you,' said Robert McKey to his mother.
On May 14, McKey was fixing a fence with his stepdad and friend on North 24th Street in Baton Rouge.
'It was a completely senseless act of violence,' said McKey.
McKey said he was only trying to better his community that day, but the unthinkable happened while he was working.
McKey said two men approached them, and one was wearing a mask. They reportedly asked McKey for cash, but he said he didn't have any. Guns were then drawn.
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'I feel the tip of the AR-15 in the back of my head and he said, 'Don't move, I'm going to blow your brains out,'' said McKey.
Yet, McKey moved and tried to grab the gun from the man.
'He emptied the clip when I was wrestling back and forth and whenever they ran out of bullets, the next thing I knew it felt like my head was a pinball machine. I was like, 'Did I just spit out a bullet?' I was like no way; there's no way like be real. I walked inside and my stepdad is trying to call 911,' said McKey.
Bullets also hit his forearm, chest, neck, abdomen, and more. McKey's friend was also hit, and his stepdad was grazed.
'After they ran out of bullets they took off running, they weren't at all expecting me to do what I did, and they left in fear,' said Mckey.
McKey is now out of the hospital, but the road to recovery will be a long one.
'They didn't take anything from us. They took my ability to build that fence, which I love, my job, and they took my ability to teach all these youth. They took that from them,' said McKey.
McKey said he would go back to mentoring young kids in the area. The incident will not stop him from making Mid-City a better place to live.
'I am going back, I am definitely going back,' said McKey.
No arrests have been made at this time. However, McKey said the police have some leads. If you have information, call Crime Stoppers at 225-344-7867.
A GoFundMe has been set up for McKey's medical expenses. Click here for more information.
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