Miracle #10
On this occasion, I was off-duty and in my sergeant's police uniform. I stopped at this familiar party store, located on a main street, in the city of Detroit. I was behind the counter and bullet-proof glass, talking to an employee. A man entered the party store grabbed a case of beer, and then ran out the store. I exited the store in an attempt to ascertain what direction the perpetrator escaped, in order to give to responding officers. When I exited the store and looked north, the thief immediately starting firing a weapon at me, while hiding in the alley in the rear of the store. I fell to the ground and returned fire nine times from my 9mm Smith & Wesson automatic pistol. I might add, I shot and emptied my pistol of nine bullets, nine times in record speed. Again, it's funny now but not funny at the time.
After I ran out of bullets I ran back in the store behind the bullet-proof glass. I urgently requested if there was another gun on the premises. But the employee said no. I was not shot or injured and the on-duty police arrived and captured the shooter. He had traveled some distance away but he was arrested and placed in custody. He also was not shot or injured. Bad aim, on my part (I joke with my son, by telling him in situations like this you don't really have to aim just throw some bullets toward a perpetrator and they will usually get the message).
I later learned that the stealing of the case of beer was just a ruse, to lure the store employee out of the store to kill him. I also learned that the shooter and the employee had a prior verbal altercation. I know one thing for sure. This incident took place in the early 1980's. However, I can take you to this party store now and you will still observe one of the perpetrator’s bullet indentations that ricocheted off the building outside east wall.
What's so scary is this bullet indentation is chest high, in a direct line with my left chest area. Had the bullet went straight and not ricocheted off the wall it would have surely gone into my chest to my heart. Note: The party store employee became a Detroit Police officer. I spoke to him recently. I had not spoken to him for at least 15 or 16 years. He told me, "Thanks for saving my life because the person I argued with at the party store meant to kill me."