DETROIT – The search continues for the gunman who shot a double amputee in the back of his head on Detroit’s west side.
Less than 24 hours after being shot multiple times, 64-year-old double amputee Clayton Willis was back on the street asking for help.
“I don’t be out begging nobody,” said Willis. “I’m just trying to keep my house so I can keep my bills paid.”
Sadly Sunday (July 30), a man armed with an automatic type pistol tried to end it all.
Police are still looking for the shooter.
“I didn’t get a chance to see the man because he had a mask on his face,” Willis said. “When I turned around, I fell out of the wheelchair, and he shot me in the hand.”
Willis was also grazed by a bullet in the back of the head. Unfortunately, he couldn’t get away as his legs were amputated due to frostbite in 2000.
“Instead of you shooting me, why you didn’t take my money,” Willis said. “I’m puzzled, man. I’m lost. What makes this man come up here with a machine gun and shoot me in the back of the head.”
Commander Vernal Newson with the Detroit Police Department believes he has an answer.
“We’ve been dealing with a rash of panhandler victims where they’ve been threatened, and we learned this just recently from the investigation,” said Newson.
Either way, it’s something the community hasn’t been OK with.
“That ain’t cool, man,” said Michael Williams. “He don’t be bothering nobody. He don’t deserve that.”
“We definitely are concerned that a person, a double amputee, will be confronted,” Newson said. “The type of person that will do that is a monstrous type of individual.”
“I’m crying inside, but I’m praying to Jesus that police catch him,” Willis said.
Police said the man took off towards a store nearby and got in a car. But they really need help from the public to find this man.
