A Stockton man is expected to survive after being shot seven times during what police say was a possible hate crime.
Bobby Gayle Jr., 45, miraculously suffered only minor injuries after being shot twice in the face and five times in the body. He was first identified by KCRA-TV.
Police said the incident unfolded around 11:30 p.m. on Oct. 8 when Gayle was working as a cement mason on Pacific Ave.
A driver of a Chevrolet Silverado sped past the construction zone causing Gayle to raise his hands and yell at him to slow down. The driver braked, jumped out of the car and began shooting at Gayle. According to KTVU, the man also made racial slurs at Gayle while shooting him.
"My brother threw his hands up, was like, 'Hey, man, slow down. What's going on, like slow down,'" Gayle’s brother Marlon Gayle said, recounting the experience to the station. "The guy got out his truck, parked his truck, got out, and he started saying the 'n' word and just started shooting."
On Wednesday, police arrested 31-year-old Michael Hayes as the suspected shooter, charging him with attempted homicide and assault with a deadly weapon.
Gayle and his brother are now attempting to move on from the incident, saying faith and willingness to forgive is allowing them to heal.
"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," Marlon said to the station.
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