Gama Droiville, 13-Year-Old Shot In East Flatbush, Released From Hospital
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Wearing a smile and receiving a rousing ovation from hospital staff, a 13-year-old Brooklyn boy who was shot in the eye with a stray bullet last week went home Tuesday.
Gama Droiville, who spent nine days at Kings County Medical Center, told CBS 2's Jessica Schneider he plans to live a normal life and not be afraid to step out onto the same East Flatbush street where he was nearly killed on April 14.
"I'd like to say thank you for all the support," Droiville told reporters, including 1010 WINS' Sonia Rincon. "Thank you for all the prayers."
Gama Droiville, 13-Year-Old Shot In East Flatbush, Released From Hospital
The upbeat church choirboy has shown tremendous composure and grace since the shooting, quickly professing that his faith in God would guide him through his recovery and even indicating he will try to forgive his shooter.
"I am in the healing process," the teen said. "I would like to say thank you to my choir member and my church just for still keeping me in prayer."
On Easter Sunday, the boy's choir visited him at the hospital. Several officials from the NYPD have also visited the teen, awarding him with a medal for his bravery.
Droiville, who was wearing an NYPD cap during his news conference Tuesday, thanked police for apprehending the suspected shooter so quickly.
Gama's doctor said he is still unsure if the teen will ever see out of his right eye again.
"His eye has some inflammation, and he's in the healing phase," Dr. Douglas Lazzaro said. "We can't give him exact prognosis. A little bit too early to tell.
"Gama is an inspiration for the staff here at Kings County," Lazzaro added. "We were lucky to be able to serve this young man."
Droiville was waiting for a bus with his aunt at Beverley Road and Flatbush Avenue when he heard five to seven gunshots -- one of them piercing his eye.
Police say 21-year-old Kareen Potomont fired the shots, hitting his presumed target in the leg, as well as Droiville.
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