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"I could tell there was a lot of hate" | Victim recounts escape from Odessa shooter

"I could tell he was out there to do a lot of harm."

ODESSA, Texas — Mark Gonzalez was one of the 23 victims of the Odessa shooting who made it out alive.

"I thought someone had hit me-I turned around and looked at my leg. That’s when I felt the impact a second time."

Within a moment's notice, Gonzalez says what started as an average Saturday, turned into a terrifying day he'll never forget.

"He had the rifle out the door, he was pointing it out the window," he said.
The cold realization of what was happening took a moment to set in.

"You can’t believe it at that time. I was mad, I was scared and I couldn’t believe it, I was getting shot."

Gonzalez is now in a room at Medical Center Hospital with a guard securing his safety, but he says the images of that shooter have stayed with him.

"When I saw him the second time and I could tell he was shooting at me, I could tell there was a lot of hate. I could tell he was out there to do a lot of harm," he said.

After three shots at his car, Gonzalez managed to flee to safety as the shooter and his gold Toyota drove in a different direction.

"I think I’m lucky, if it had been higher I probably wouldn't have been here. I feel bad for the other people, a lot of people had it a lot worse than me and they passed away… but I feel lucky."

Gonzalez still has more surgeries ahead of him but is expected to make a full recovery.

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