Springs Homeless Man Speaks About Being Shot By Strangers
Gerald Shinkle says he doesn’t understand why someone would want to hurt him. Early Monday, Shinkle, who’s homeless, was shot several times as he lay sleeping on Colorado Springs westside.
“I sleep with one eye open and I notice this light coming at me,” said Shinkle after he was released from the hospital Monday evening. “Then I saw the barrel of the gun.”
Shinkle said two teens with a flashlight fired several shots at him, hitting him twice in the backside and once in his leg. He showed KRDO Newschannel 13 his bandages and the bullet hole through his calf.
He said he tried to chase the shooters, but eventually collapsed. He said he crawled back to the culvert where he had been sleeping along the Midland Trail near 17th Street and Vermijo Avenue, and lay bleeding for nine hours until his friend came to check on him.
“My pants were just solid blood, just dripping blood,” said Shinkle. “I wouldn’t wish this pain on anybody.”
Shinkle said he has a lot of friends in the area and does odd job for people whenever they need some extra help. He said he doesn’t understand who would want to hurt him.
“I work for everybody around here,” said Shinkle, crying. “I might be homeless, but I’m a good, honest person, and I don’t know where this came from.”
He said he can’t afford medicine to treat his wounds, let alone another hospital visit.
“I might have to go back to the hospital, they said, if (the wounds) fester up too much,” said Shinkle. “I don’t want to put a bill on somebody else when I know I can’t pay. My mom brought me up better than that.”
For now, he’s staying with some friends as he recovers.
The suspects are described as white men in their teens or early twenties, shorter, with slight builds.
One was wearing a blue shirt and the other a black shirt. Both were wearing backwards black hats.
Police said they have not found any witnesses and are asking anyone with information about the shooting to call police at 719-444-7000 or Crime Stoppers at 719-634-STOP.
