I was shot and nearly killed. Now I am having issues dealing with the police. Need advice from anyb

[Guest Jade T]

I am wondering if any of you could give me any advice or ideas to a question of mine. A few weeks ago, I was shot and nearly killed by an unknown man while I was walking home at midnight. He approached me from a parking lot with an outstretched hand, as if he was asking for help or for me to slow down. I stopped, waiting for him to get closer to see if he needed help. Because of the lighting, I was not able to see the weapon in his hand. He did not say a single word to me. It wasn't until I saw the muzzle flash and felt the impact of the round in my body did I realize he was trying to kill me. He shot me me in the chest where my heart is directly located. By pure luck, the round changed trajectory as it entered my body and wound up in my back around the armpit area, narrowly missing my heart.

After being shot, I managed to draw my weapon and fired one round back at him before my weapon malfunctioned. He fired a few more rounds at me, then fled as I was correcting my malfunction. I was able to walk down the road before finding a police officer for aid and assistance. The police officer took my weapon and purse, which also had my iPod in it. He called for paramedics and they took me to the ER to get my gunshot wound treated. At first, the detectives were accusing me of shooting myself for attention. I carried a 1911 .45ACP with Golden Sabre hollow points. If I had shot myself in the heart with it, I would of been dead on the spot. Not to mention I would have powder burns all over my body and clothes. Then they tried to say I had another gun on me, shot myself, threw that gun away, and pulled out my .45 1911 and fired a shot into the air for attention. They are just completely inept and ridiculous detectives. They cannot accept the fact that people exist that are capable of killing an unknown person for nothing other then their perverse pleasure. It seems the Orange Park and Clay County police department have never heard of serial killers who target random women for whatever reason. Now they are not returning my weapon and sending it to the FDLE for "processing." I have not been charged with any crime. I have done nothing wrong. I would like my weapon returned to me. It saved my life from a psychopath. I also do not wish to be treated like a criminal for defending my life.

3 days ago I contacted lead counsel for Florida Carry, a firearm advocacy group. The lawyer I spoke to said he would represent me, and would be calling the detectives the next day and getting back to me. Its been 2 days now and not a single word from the lawyer. I called today to leave a message with the assistant, and still no call back. I am assuming that the lawyer called the detectives, and found out I am transgender through police reports. The hospital staff took my name down as Jade Tong. The police reports have me down with my legal name and born gender. Which I do not agree with. Anyways, I fear and believe the lawyer decided he does not want to represent me because I am transgender, and it doesn't fit the traditional views of the people he usually represents. Is there anything that you guys can suggest I do to get justice carried out? My 4th Amendment rights have been violated, among possible other rights and laws detailing how the police have seized my property. Who can I contact? Or am I just a lost cause because I am transgender and no one wants to bother helping me? Would I have to try to file a lawsuit by myself and represent myself? I am fuming and so aggravated at this whole turn of events. It is driving me crazy, and I can't take it just thinking I am wronged by the justice system and I will be passed over and slighted.

[MaryEllen]

That's a terrible thing that has happened to you. I hope the police do follow up on this. This person needs to be taken off the streets before he does it again. I would keep searching for a lawyer who will represent you. I'm sure not all of them are prejudiced against trans people. Good luck.

MaryEllen

[Guest Jennifer T]

Oh my goodness! Wow!

Not sure what to say. But, if it helps at all, the police keeping your weapon or the lawyers non responsiveness may have nothing to do with your TG status. May I ask a couple questions?

You said you drew your weapon and returned fire. Do you have a concealed carry permit? If not, you may have violated an ordinance concerning having a loaded hidden pistol. You also told them that you fired rounds. Sounds like you were in city limits. Discharging a firearm in city limits is usually against code as well.

But here's the bigger question from my own curiosity? Are you or have you worked with law enforcement, security, military, or the like? Or, ever been active in a gang? You look young in your avatar. I've been around a few years. To have someone sporoach you and fire a bullet into your chest at close range and have the mind about you to quickly draw a weapon and return fire suggests training. Please, im in no way questioning your account, but I can see why the police would question. It takes a certain amount if training and/or life experience for someone (typically) to be able to react that way.

I am sorry this has happened to you. I hope you get resolution. Again, wow!

[Guest Jade T]

hi Jennifer T, yes I have a Concealed Weapons License from the state of FL, issued in 2010. Florida has the Stand Your Ground law, which allows me to fire back and defend myself if my or another's life, limb, or eyesight is in immediate danger or jeopardy. I would assume being shot in the chest would qualify. I was within full legal bounds to defend myself. While it is SOP (standard operating procedure) to send weapons to "processing" after being involved in a shooting, it is not okay for them to not return my calls and keep me in the dark about the status of my weapon and property taken. They have not had any real contact with me since the day they interrogated me trying to accuse me of shooting myself, or knowing who shot me but covering it up. It is not okay for them to treat me the way they did. They were insinuating I shot myself on purpose, and doing everything short of calling me a liar.

I am highly aggravated because I cannot find any lawyers to take my case. My theory is most firearm attorneys represent a particular group of Americans. Americans who traditionally have a problem with the LGBT community. If it is found out later they helped someone in the LGBT community, it may hinder their future political aspirations for public office. Granted, it is just my thought and theory. I contacted the top lawyer of the Florida Carry advocacy group. He immediately said he would take my case before learning I am transgender. Then a few days go by, and no response from him or his assistants. Maybe I am being impatient, but I am pretty sure he dropped my case. The other attorney I contacted is in the same law firm as him. Just different offices. it seems most firearm attorneys in FL are in the same firm. I feel like it is a lost cause.

For your curiosity, yes I was in the Army for 6 years. I spent 4 years in Active Duty as an Infantry Scout Squad Leader. While on deployment overseas, my unit was part of something called JSOC. We had our fair share of combat and casualties. The memories I made overseas were the best in my life, as well as the worst. I later went to the Reserves. Initially as CI (counter intelligence), but I did not get MOS qualified and was transferred over to a TRADOC unit and went through Drill Sergeant School. I didn't stay in the Reserves long. Most of my early adult life was built around war, fighting, and training combat arms soldiers the proper combat philosophy and mindset. One of the many lessons I taught and lectured about was Advanced Rifle marksmanship. I had to change it to meet more realistic expectations I trained the Reserve Counter Intelligence unit in Combat Handgun PMI, or preliminary marksmanship instructions.

The police detectives know all this. With my permission, they went through my phone records and through all my emails (through my phone). I would not be surprised if they went through my social media profiles and snooped through them. They have all the records to know I am who I say I am, and should be easily able to verify the experience that I have.

[Guest Jennifer T]

Thank you very much for answering candidly, Jade. Honestly you answered pretty much exactly as I expected. I am glad that you have the training you have. No doubt in my mind that that is why you are alive today. Yes, I did realize that Florida has stand your ground laws. And even if they didn't I think you did the right thing.

Have you gone back down to the precinct personally to follow up on the whereabouts of you property ? I think I'd make a personal appearance and ask to speak with the captain if you can't get reasonable answers. And open up the phone book and start colling other attorneys.

Do you have any idea why and by who you were targeted?

Again, wow. Crazy stuff. Be safe.

[Guest TracieV3]

You are being accused of a crime, by a public official, as a way for the to sweep you attempted murder under the rug.

No one shoots themselves in the chest for attention. Those that shot themselves for attention go for the limbs. And suicides always go for the head.

Contact a lawyer, to file lawsuits for both defamation of character, and to return you property, your gun. At the same time, get the police report.

Also, contact the LGBT and NRA, tell them your story.

With the LGBT emphasize that someone tried to murder you, and the police blamed you.

With the NRA, emphasize that you used your gun to defend yourself, and the police took your gun from you.

Also, get all medical records you can on your wounds. See if there were camera recording of the crime.

Then, contact everyone that you know personally, that you think will help you. And then contact local groups that you think make help you with this. Lit a fire and don't let this crime being sweep under the rug.

[Guest TracieV3]

Jade, any attorney will do, just to get the ball rolling.

[Guest Jade T]

Hi Tracie, thank you for your advice and words.

I have a good update to my case. I just got a call back from the lead counsel and attorney of Florida Carry with good news this morning. I am so glad he didn't abandon my case like I had thought he did. I feel bad about losing faith in him now. I have been getting too emotional and caught up in this affair, and I overlooked the kindness of some people. I have lost a lot of faith in humanity the night I was shot. Many motorists driving by saw me walking in the middle of the road, and stopped when I waved them down for help. As soon as they saw me covered in blood, they drove off to leave me to die . We are becoming a wretched and apathetic society.

The attorney said I should be getting my weapon back next week. And if I do not, to give him a call so "he will light a fire." The detectives are running ballistic tests on my weapon to make sure the shell casing is the same as the one they found on the ground. They are also keeping a ballistic shot sample of the ammo that was in my magazine. Just in case someone goes to or went to a nearby hospital for treatment, they can then match my bullet up with the one recovered at the hospital and nail him.

As much as I would like to file a lawsuit for the way they treated me and questioned me, it is doubtful that it will hold. The judicial system gives a huge berth to law enforcement to conduct and investigate crimes, and pursue criminals. In many cases, they go so far as to turn a blind eye to corrupt officers. It is highly doubtful any lawsuit will take hold without them actually arresting and charging me out of spite for something I clearly did not do. All it can take is the department saying it is standard operating procedure to question shooting victims that do not know their attacker if they were the ones that shot themselves. Then it is no longer a matter of defamation, but a matter of "the way its done" here.

Regarding the NRA, that is a very good suggestion. If the attorney did not call me back this morning with good news, I would of definitely contacted them after reading your suggestion. I didn't even think of contacting them.

Jennifer T, I have not went down to the precinct to follow up on my property, I called the evidence room of Orange Park PD to inquire about my weapon. They told me the detective sent it to the FDLE for processing and that they do not know what is going on. So I call the detective to find out. Since he never wants to return my phone calls, I then called a few firearm attorneys. They seem to all work in the same firm, but just across the state in different cities. I do not know who the man was that shot me or any idea who he could be. I was just walking down the wrong street at the wrong time.

[Guest TracieV3]

Glad to hear the good news, Jade.

Now, you just need to stay calm, and focus on recovering from your wounds.

And good luck.

Well, if you don't want the lawsuit route, you might want to think of asking you lawyer for a good private detective to look into your case. It will cost you, but anything the detective finds can be used later to help you in a number of ways.

At the very least, between, the police report, your lawyer, and the dectivect, you might be able be able to find the bullet that hit you. And ballistics comparisons between you guns and that bullet would clear you, and force the police to look into your case again.

If the police did not find the bullet, have a professional look for the bullet. Do not do it yourself, because the police will claim you were manufacturing evidence.

[Guest Jade T]

Oh I think I might of caused a confusion. I still have the bullet inside me. Near my back around the armpit area. The bullet did not exit my body. The ER surgeons and doctors decided to leave the round in me after giving me a CT scan and a few x-rays. At the time, they did want to cause more blood loss and additional chance of infection trying to fish out the round in my body. Based on the entry wound, the round appeared to have been from a .32 caliber revolver. I am extremely lucky it did not pierce my heart. I think he was using subsonic ammunition, because the muzzle report was very quiet, like a fire cracker. Subsonic ammo flies under the speed of sound so it does not make as much noise; and it is weaker then standard ammo. The lack of power could also explain why the round did not go straight into my heart and drop me. The detectives know all this, and actually refined their theory, saying I had a 2nd weapon (.32 revolver) on me that I shot myself with. Then I threw that weapon (.32) away, and pulled out my .45 to shoot to cover up my "suicide" attempt. When I was leaving the police department, another detective whom I have never met until that point actually approached me and apologized, explaining that if they catch the shooter, his lawyers will attempt everything they can to get him off the hook. Including asking these very same questions they are asking me now. They want to get it out the way so if they catch him, the prosecutors could concentrate on the shooter and not my credibility. I personally do not believe it, and think it was just trying to placate me. The tone and words they used really makes me think they were more then just "getting questions out the way."

The police were unable to recover the additional rounds he fired at me, nor where they able to recover my round fired from my weapon. It is why they are getting a ballistics sample from my weapon, just in case I did hit him. If he goes or went to any hospital and they treat him and remove the bullet, they can match the round recovered from him to my bullet sample the detectives have. If it matches, then they will know they have found my shooter. At least that is how the attorney explained it to me. I hope I did hit him and he is dead in a ditch somewhere. Or went to a hospital to get his wounds treated. That way they can nail him.

The circumstances really make me believe I was unlucky enough to be attacked by a serial killer type. He was a very good shot. He hit me center mass, where my heart is located, on his first shot. There was enough distance from us so I was not able to spot a weapon in his hand. He shot me using one hand to aim, which is a VERY remarkable feat for the distance and lighting. The path he approached me from had the lights in the parking lot shining in my eyes, which further obscured my vision. He might of planned and scoped out his location to attack his victims for most advantage. He is most likely an avid civilian shooter. I say probably civilian and not military or law enforcement because he did not assume shooting stances that military or law enforcement uses. Had he done so, it would of definitely set me on guard and I would of been able to be proactive in my defense as opposed to reacting after already being shot.

[Guest Melissa~]

An avid civilian would never attack with a 32. It was lucky amateur night.

[Guest TracieV3]

Jade. Clearing the cops are covering it up. Of course, if this gets to court, you can ask, why the police did not find the suppose second weapon, given that your life threatening wound that prevented you from moving far. A gun is a hard thing to miss, when it is on the ground.

[Guest Jade T]

The .32 seemed to to have served his purpose very well that night. If I wasn't armed, no one probably would of known I had died that night. A missing person's report would most likely be all that would of been filed. It does not seem like like luck that he chose subsonic ammo; no surrounding businesses or houses heard the gunshots he fired. They only heard mine. His decision of using a revolver to avoid shell casings does not seem like coincidence. His choice location to attack me from so I couldn't see him well does not seem like luck. But, if we choose to disagree because of your belief no one uses a .32, so be it. I was a witness at those events, and that is my theory.

It wasn't the original intention of this thread to talk about the shooter, because that is not my concern. My only concern was to get my firearm and belongings back from the police department. It seemed like no lawyers were taking my case or ignoring me, so I posted here in hopes someone would suggest any routes. I could not care less about the shooter as much as the

I'm not sure they are trying to cover things up. I think they are just trying to blame the victim. It seems it is a common thing to do when the police have nothing to go on. I've read many posts online about police blaming women for being assaulted. Saying they either made it up or knew he did it and were covering it up. With all the ER records and physical evidence at the scene, it seems any prosecutors would be extremely foolish and incompetent to charge me. I am thinking they were more or less trying to get me to confess so they can "solve" this case. Who knows.

[Ravin]

It sounds like you have an advocate working for you now. The best thing you can do is let him do his job. Have him light that fire.

It could be the police are concerned about doing their due diligence. They do have to investigate. It could also be some of what you've suggested, with victim blaming, etc., but frankly, your attorney is in a better position than you are to figure that out, because he has some distance, experience, and perspective you don't.

I know it can be hard to be patient. But the wheels of justice turn slowly.

Did they at least return your purse?

[Guest Gregg Jameson]

I had been following this, as well.

Having and advocate is important. I would have advised Jade to have a personal advocate, if the current advocate is advocating from the position of representing an interest group. It's important to have an advocate solely interested in the welfare of the client. Even any prosecuting attorney would be prosecuting on behalf of the state or the federal gov't. As such, the prosecutor is not looking out for the individual's rights of Jade, per se.

This case will sort itself out in time. So often, things are so not as they appear, even to the persons involved as a victim of a crime.

It's possible the police knew more about this story than they ever let on to the victim at the time of the interview, etc. Many things are possible. There is so much we cannot possibly know and/or assume with any accuracy.

Most personal attorneys would advise their client to remain silent, especially online. That may be what has happened here.

People do not fully realize that their statements online are discoverable, especially in cases involving violent crimes, and their statements may have a bearing in the legal process/trial.

I hope you are recovering well, Jade. I also hope you have retrieved your belongings.

With Concern,

Brad