HOUSTON — For the first time, a Houston pastor is recounting a terrifying ordeal he said would have likely killed him and a friend, had he not fought back.
61-year-old Thomas Wilson spoke exclusively to KHOU 11 News on Tuesday, with hopes sharing his story will lead to an arrest after he was shot twice after leaving RodeoHouston last week.
The violent robbery took place off rodeo grounds near NRG and police are still looking for the gunman.
"I thank God that I'm still here today, " said Wilson.
Nearly a week after surviving an armed robbery turned shooting, Wilson said his faith has grown even stronger.
"To Him be glory, I've not had any real pain since the shooting,” he said.
The shooting happened last Wednesday while leaving the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Wilson had scored a pair of free tickets to the Nickelback concert and invited his church secretary, who had never been to the rodeo.
"And so, I said, 'Come on let's go, we are going to have some fun and it's going to be an early night,'" Wilson said.
They were walking back to his car when a guy dressed in all black approached them and asked to use his phone.
"I told him no, and he kept going on and he even said these words, 'God is not going to bless you tonight,'" Wilson said.
Wilson said when they got to the car, they saw it'd been burglarized. As he attempted to call for help, that's when he said the same man came back, this time with a gun.
The man demanded Wilson hand over his bag.
"At first I was going to give it all, just give it up, but then he pulls the gun and it's pointing right here in my face, and I saw this guy has no intentions of letting me walk away from here,” said Wilson.
He knew his secretary was also in danger.
"As agitated as he had become, he was going to not only shoot me but also my secretary and I couldn't let that happen," he said.
Wilson said he decided to fight back.
"I reached and grabbed at the gun and tried to get it away from my face and it went off, hitting me in my shoulder," he said.
Wilson said the two ended up scuffling on the ground where he was shot again, in the opposite shoulder.
The suspect, he said, ran off with his bag containing credit cards, his I.D. and passport, but not before leaving some of his own items behind.
"A shoe came off, he dropped a phone, and there was a vape there,” said Wilson.
Houston police are investigating all evidence.
Investigators are also trying to figure out if the alleged gunman is the same person who broke into the vehicle, something Wilson said he believed might be the case.
Meanwhile, concerned about his safety and others, Wilson who also works at a school helping troubled teens, is currently staying with family as he recovers.
He hopes his story will help prevent further victims.
"I want this man caught; I want to protect others,” he said.
Wilson said he's already forgiven the man, but he still demands justice.
"He still has to take responsibility for what he has done, but in the midst of that, we still have to have a forgiving heart,” said Wilson.
Last week, Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo sent KHOU 11 News the following statement:
We first want to say that we are saddened to hear about the incident last night and hope for the quick recovery of the victim involved. It's important to clarify that this incident did not take place on the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo property. We highly encourage our guests to park in our official Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo parking lots for convenience and safety. You can view all of our official Rodeo parking lots at RODEOHOUSTON.com. All of our parking lots are equipped with 24-hour security measures, which include police officers and cameras. We are constantly communicating with our local authorities and want to assure all guests at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo that safety is always our highest priority.
If you have any information about the alleged gunman, call HPD or Houston Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $5,000.