‘God was with me:’ Man describes moment robbers shot him taking out trash at Gwinnett complex

NORCROSS, Ga. — A recently married father is recovering from gunshots he suffered after being attacked in his Norcross apartment complex on Sept. 9.

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Michael Thomas tells Channel 2′s Tom Regan he was walking to a dumpster at the Grove Point Apartments on Jimmy Carter Boulevard when two young men rushed toward him.

“The next thing I remember is being hit in the head. I grabbed the person, the biggest person and we fell on the ground. And he was hollering to get him off me. After that, the guy shot at my head. Thank God it missed,” Thomas explained.

The bullet ricocheted off the pavement and grazed his face.

“He then turned around and shot me in the leg twice. The bullet went through my right leg and then into my groin area,” Thomas said.

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Police have released Ring video and still images of the two young men who are considered suspects.

“This seems to be a crime of opportunity, I don’t know of any other prior at this particular complex,” said Gwinnett Police Cpl. Ryan Winderweedle.

Thomas says the men ran off after neighbors heard gunfire and came out to help him. He said his attackers didn’t steal anything from him.

He said the gunfire tore through muscles in his leg and broke some bones that are being held together with pins. He has endured several surgeries and his recovery will take months. But he feels lucky.

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“I’m just glad to be alive. My family could be making my funeral arrangements. Like I say, God was with me,” Thomas said.

Police are asking for help from the public to identify the suspects seen in the security camera images.

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