A man was shot at 7 times on his way to see his son, but he survived the attack. On Sunday morning around 7:30, 35 year old Deon Bennett-Brackett was riding his bicycle along University Drive, near the teachers college, when a vehicle pulled up alongside him and a gunman in the backseat opened fire. Despite the spray of gunshots, Bennett was only grazed in his shoulder, his arm and in the back of his neck. He has been treated and released. A friend we spoke to off camera today says he didn't deserve to be targeted like that because she only knows him as an easy going person and a devoted father.
Voice of: Friend
"Yesterday morning I just heard that my friend Mr. Bennett was coming in West Landivar, he usually do the same thing every morning, come and see his child then go and buy tacos then come back in. but we only get to hear that there was a black car waiting for him in the entrance and from there we heard that they shoot him."
Courtney Weatherburne, 7News
"Did he say if he recognized anyone form the car or?"
Voice of: Friend
"No, he said that it happened quickly and he didn't recognized anyone."
Courtney Weatherburne, 7News
"Does he have any concern that maybe he'll be targeted again and he has a son too?"
Voice of: Friend
"If he was concerned I guessed he would be hiding out, but doing the same thing and get on his bike and ride on. He goes wherever he wants to go."
Courtney Weatherburne, 7News
"Is the family concerned about his safety?"
Voice of: Friend
"His family but his friends around here and I guess everyone started to give him advice, you are supposed to this or keep him out but Mr. Bennett is not like that. He won't keep away."
Courtney Weatherburne, 7News
"You guys have no idea why anybody would want to target him? His past or anything was involved in anything else before? Maybe where he is from?"
Voice of: Friend
"He is originally by Vernon Street, but I am not familiar with that area. Only at the side here Mr. Bennett usually is. So I know he is from this area and this is the area he is usually around with everybody and everyone knows him from here. It was very sad to here that this happened to him because I didn't know Mr. Bennett as someone who troubles anyone. He is always a helpful person around in the neighborhood. In the evening he goes back home. I don't really know Mr. Bennett in that way being a troublesome person."
Notably, Bennett-Brackett - who is from a gang affiliated neighborhood on the Southside was targeted in Precinct Four which saw no murders last year.
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