Bystander speaks out after being shot during Target shoplifting struggle in DC
Bystander speaks out after being shot in Northeast DC Target shoplifting struggle
A bystander is speaking out from his hospital bed after he was shot in a Northeast D.C. Target store following a suspect's alleged shoplifting struggle.
WASHINGTON - An innocent bystander who was shot inside a Target store on New York Avenue in Northeast D.C. is speaking out from his hospital bed as police continue to search for the shooter.
What we know:
In an exclusive interview, victim Rodney Lyde shared the physical and emotional toll of the shooting moments before heading into another surgery.
"I am feeling terrible. I am still in the hospital. My life has been turned upside down," Lyde said.
The incident occurred on Thursday, Sept. 24, around 5:30 p.m. at the Target store located in the Ivy City neighborhood of Northeast D.C. According to police, a suspect allegedly stole iPads, headphones, and clothing from the store.
When two Target employees and an armed Special Police Officer confronted the suspect, a physical struggle ensued. Detectives said that the suspect managed to grab the security officer's handgun during the struggle and fired a shot, hitting Lyde.
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"All of a sudden, you hear the shots ring out," Lyde recalled. "The only thing I remember was, 'Oh my God. I've been shot.' That's all I remember. Next thing I heard was people screaming for the ambulance, calling the police."
Surveillance images released by D.C. Police show the suspect wearing eyeglasses and a distinct orange-and-black jacket with reflective stripes, resembling a construction traffic cone. Following the shooting, the suspect fled the scene on a scooter and remains at large.
"I say that he needs to be apprehended," Lyde said regarding the fugitive suspect.
Lyde, who works as a bus driver, faces a recovery process that is expected to take months before he can hope to return to work.
He has retained legal representation from Attorney Dawn Jackson of the Jackson and Associates Law Firm to investigate the incident.
"We were hired to determine who is responsible for his injuries and his pain and suffering at this point," Jackson said.
D.C. Police are asking anyone who recognizes the suspect or has information about the shooting to contact the department immediately.
The Source: Information in this article is from original FOX 5 DC reporting.