jeff

Minister to Adults
Shot: September 15 1999
Wedgwood Baptist Church Fort Worth Texas

If you've heard of the See You at the Pole Rallies

Jeff: '"It was about 6:45 p.m. on a Wednesday night. If you've heard of the See You at the Pole Rallies, where youth go around their flag poles at school and pray, that evening at church we had a post See You at the Pole youth rally. We had a live band; the worship center was full of youth. I had just left the rally and walked down to the church's south foyer and was visiting with friends. There was Sydney, a good friend of mine, and a couple, and two other ladies. The couple and Sydney were going to watch another couple's son play football on Friday night, and they said, 'Hey, do you want to go with us?' I said, 'Sure, it sounds like fun.' Then we saw this guy outside coming towards the door. He had a pullover on, sunglasses, and a cigarette in his mouth, the cigarette made him stand out. Someone said, 'We need to tell that guy we don't allow smoking in the building,' because you could tell he was coming in with the cigarette. As I was approaching him he stepped in the doors. I was about ten feet in front of him, too far to say anything yet, and he pulled out a nine millimeter pistol and shot me twice. I felt shock; I remained standing. Out of the corner of my eye I could see him shooting the five other people with me. I reacted not to my being shot, but that somebody was in the building shooting people. I didn't really have any idea what to do, so I walked out of the building, fully expecting him to shoot me in the back, but he didn't. There was a hole in my shirt, but no blood, so I thought maybe it was just a rubber bullet. But I could feel the pain from internal bleeding. I took off my shirt; I could see a bullet hole in my left abdomen. Then the group I was with came running out. Only three of the ladies came out, one of them had been shot across the top of her head. The guy came running over to me, and was telling me that Sydney was dead, and that the gunman had moved down the hallway toward the worship center where he made some derogatory remarks about Christians.

Seven people died, seven were wounded

"He fired close to ninety rounds, he reloaded several times. All this took place in roughly twelve minutes. Then he killed himself. Seven people died, seven were wounded. No one at the church knew him. We found out from his family that he'd had problems with mental illness. I was hospitalized for a month; I had abdominal surgery. I now have chronic digestive problems.

I'm a gun owner

"I'm a gun owner. Even though I've been through this I still think it's the people's right to own guns as stated in the constitution and the Bill of Rights. It's just as important as freedom of speech. It gives the individual the right of protection. Most people who own firearms are law abiding citizens and I don't believe in punishing the majority because of the actions of the few. It has more to do with the person who utilizes a gun to kill people than it has to do with the instrument they use. I have no problems with background checks; I think most people don't. I think it will help cut down on events like the one at Wedgwood. I've attended gun shows and I think the loop hole is a problem. They could come up with a picture I.D. for people who want to buy or sell guns and have it validated once a year. Something that says, 'I've had a background check to see if I'm a felon, or have a history of mental illness, this is me.' Then the paperwork of the transaction would have to be filled out and filed."