"It is horrible to think that whoever did this is still out there" - Victim recalls shotgun blast one year on
A shotgun attack victim who was left bleeding to death has opened up about his first Christmas since the life-changing incident.
Daniel Stone, age 27, from Walsall, was shot in the stomach on Christmas Day and now cannot work due to his injuries and has been left badly scarred for life while the criminals are still out there.
A year on, the father-of-one enjoyed dinner with his family at home but the memories are still fresh in his mind.
He said: “It was alright, we had dinner as normal but when it started getting dark, I got nervous. I don’t know how to explain how I felt because I have never felt like that before. It was nice, but not nice. I cannot live another life again ever. I tried to block the memories out because it would drive me crazy, I got paranoid. But for me to lock myself away, it won’t help anything.
“Things are different but the main thing is, it’s a year on and I am still able to see my kid.”
Last year, he left his nan’s house to go see a friend when a blacked-out car started following him on Lord Street, Walsall.
He was shot in the stomach close range which hit the main artery in his spine and 45 gun pellets were found in his abdomen and 15 in his arm.
He has had 20 surgeries since, including a skin graft, and is still receiving treatment.
The painter and decorator was also a carer for his mother who was ill and is father to one-year-old Laylah-Grace.
He did not see who did it and West Midlands Police arrested five men, aged 18 to 33, for attempted murder since the attack but they were later released without charge.
Mr Stone added: “It damaged every organ except for my heart. I have no core muscles and cannot work because of it.
“It is horrible having no income. I lost my two-bedroom flat and only moved into my own one-bedroom flat again three weeks ago so it’s good to have my independence back.
“Most of the days, I cannot do a lot because the injury still affects me and I still need help with certain things but on good days I do what I can, I try to get out.”
“It is horrible to think that whoever did this is still out there. Someone else could not be luckier than me and obviously they won’t stop until they get the person they tried to get. Who else is going to get hurt?”
Anyone with information has been urged to contact the police on 101.
