On June 6, 2007, Ross Capicchioni was 17 when he was shot three times and left
for dead in the outskirts of Detroit, US. Here's his shocking story revisited nine years later.
When Ross' mate of 10 years asked him for a lift to visit his cousin in a rough part of town, alarm bells started ringing and Ross told his friend 'no'.
Despite his reluctance, after a week of being pestered, Ross finally decided to help out a pal and just give this guy a lift.
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It was broad daylight when they parked up at the address. The two got out of the car but seconds later his so-called friend got out a shotgun and pulled the trigger. "My arm was just hanging off," Ross explains. "I look up and this kid's just holding a shotgun like 10 feet away from me."
The next shot blew a hole in his chest and he collapsed to his knees.
Image credit: YouTube/MrNikhilking
Ross was helpless, unable to stand, with the gun hovering above him. "I felt this barrel shaking on my head so I smacked it away," he says. Although the third shot was disrupted, the spray of the bullet still hit his skull.
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The lad was kicked to the curb and left for dead. His 'mate' stole his possessions and quickly fled from the scene in Ross' car.
Drifting in and out of consciousness, he almost accepted he was going to die when a probation officer rushed to his side. The ambulance was called and he was dashed to hospital. According to Ross, he was pronounced dead on arrival.
But here's what happened next...
Video credit: YouTube/MrNikhilking
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Three days after the shooting, he woke up not remembering anything but his father's phone number.
His family were contacted by the hospital and his recovery began. Meanwhile, the FBI investigation continued.
Video credit: YouTube/MrNikhilking
The shooter's motive to kill was all part of an initiation in order to join a gang. The kid was told to kill someone random and he picked his so-called friend as his victim.
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Since the incident, Ross has suffered from long-term post traumatic stress disorder. He's lucky and grateful to be alive. "The first two years were the hardest," he explains. "Now I look at what I got and not what I don't have."
Ross believes that comparing his desire to get better to mastering a skateboarding trick has helped him progress through his recovery. Both mentally and physically, he's now able to enjoy a normal life.
His shooter is currently serving a 35-year jail sentence for attempted murder.
Featured image credit: YouTube/MrNikhilking
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