Georgia man pistol whipped, shot while taking out trash at apartment complex: ‘Just thank God for being alive’

Police in Georgia are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying two armed robbery suspects accused of shooting a man who was taking out the trash at his apartment complex earlier this month.

On Tuesday, the Gwinnett County Police Department said the victim was approached by two unidentified males in the parking lot of the Grove Point Apartment Homes in Norcross on Sept. 9. He was attacked and shot two times during the encounter.

The victim was identified by FOX 5 Atlanta as apartment resident Michael Thomas, who said the incident began when he was sitting on his porch and noticed three young men he didn’t recognize lingering around the apartments.

Thomas said he asked them if they would mind moving away from the front of the breezeway, to which one of them allegedly responded with, “Aight, but you don’t know who you’re talking to.”

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When Thomas took out his trash a bit later, he said the young men confronted him in the parking lot.

“He tried to shoot me in my head twice, but both of the bullets bounced off the rock. And the third person that was with them, took off running. I guess he didn’t know that was going to happen, and then he turned around, and shot me in my right leg twice,” he explained.

Witnesses told FOX 5 they saw one of the suspects pistol whip Thomas in the head, which was confirmed by Gwinnett County police, before he was shot.

Thomas was rushed to a hospital, where he underwent surgery, and was released to return home this past Sunday. He now has to use a walker and still has a bullet lodged in his leg.

“You won’t be expecting something like that to happen because you asked somebody to move out of the way,” Thomas told FOX 5.

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Thomas said he wants the suspects caught and brought to justice because he doesn’t want anybody else in the complex to experience what he did.

“I just thank God for being alive. I can still get up and breathe and walk around, but you know just to be here for my kids that’s the most important thing to me and my wife,” he said.

Gwinnett County police released doorbell camera footage on Tuesday showing the two potential suspects walking at the complex in hopes of identifying them.

Police said both are Black males, describing one as heavy set with dreads and the other as skinny with a short afro. The night of the crime, the heavier male was wearing blue shorts and a black shirt while the other was wearing a black hoodie, blue jeans and green underwear.

Witnesses said they are juveniles who were “constantly asking for money around the complex,” according to FOX 5.

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Anyone with information on the suspects and/or the incident is asked to call Gwinnett County detectives at (770) 513-5300. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (404) 577-TIPS (8477). A cash reward is available for information leading to an arrest and indictment.