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Published on May 15, 2024
Lucky Leap: 9-Year-Old Boy Skips Death by Inches in Fort Worth Drive-By ShootoutSource: Google Street View

A heart-stopping incident caught on video earlier this month shows the grim reality of gun violence's reach, as a young boy nearly escapes injury in a drive-by shooting. The video, obtained by FOX 4, depicts 9-year-old Errol Hill narrowly dodging bullets in his family's Fort Worth apartment on May 1. As he sat on the couch in front of a window, gunfire erupted, causing him to quickly move away in the split second before bullets tore through the wall.

The same shooting left six other children, ranging in age from three to 19, with gunshot wounds outside the Miramar Apartments off Las Vegas Trail. The most seriously injured was a toddler. In a statement obtained by FOX San Antonio, Errol's mother, Mary Jane Gonzalez, recalled the terror of the event, saying, "Those shots were close. It happened as soon as he sat down. If he would have been standing one second longer, he would have got hit."

Gonzalez, who works as a medical assistant, sprang into action to assist the gunshot victims. In the chaos, she desperately aided her neighbors' children, according to her account. "I was the first one to start helping everybody, asking for towels, for anything to help put pressure on their wounds," she told FOX 4.

The aftermath of the shooting still lingers for those affected. Less than two weeks later, Errol found himself terrified again by the sound of gunfire at a neighbor's house. Errol expressed his feelings to FOX San Antonio, confiding, "Terrified and not safe," and disclosing his desire to leave the area, stating, "I don't want to live here no more."

Despite the terrifying ordeal, the family found some solace in being together on Mother's Day, with Gonzalez expressing hope that someday they might once again feel safe in their home. After four years of living on Las Vegas Trail and recently signing a 12-month lease, Gonzalez is left doubting whether their stay at the complex is tenable, driven by the ache for those children who were less fortunate, admitting, "My heart hurts for the children who got injured."