PHOENIX – When 17-year-old Jonathan Walke was shot while riding his e-bike, his first instinct was to call his mom.
In a moment of panic, he also managed to flag down a fire truck for help.
What we know:
On Saturday, Sept. 13, Walke told his mom, Brenda Mallory, that he was going to get In-N-Out. Just eight minutes later, she received a frantic call.
“He called me and said, ‘Mom, I’ve been shot, I’ve been shot, I’ve been shot,'” Mallory said.
According to Phoenix Police, the teenager was shot by someone in a passing vehicle near 48th and Sonora streets. Mallory told him to hang up and call 911 while she and his father rushed to the scene.
By the time they arrived, police and the fire department were already there.
Mallory said her son had flagged down a fire truck on its way to a nearby car fire. The crew was able to quickly stop his internal bleeding.
“All he could say to me was, ‘It hurts so bad. It hurts so bad. It hurts so bad,'” Mallory recalled. “And then they carted him away to the hospital. And by the time we got to the hospital, they were wheeling him up into surgery.”
Dig deeper:
The bullet entered Walke’s back, traveling through his stomach and liver and damaging a part of his kidney. Surgeons had to remove his gallbladder and appendix, as well as a part of his colon.
“I’m thankful he’s alive and that he’s here and that he’s going to live another day,” Mallory said.
As she prepares to care for Walke during his recovery, Mallory is desperate for answers. “This isn’t how we should have to raise our kids, in fear that they’re going to get shot just going out and getting food,” she said.
She adds, “Jonathan is a 17-year-old good-hearted boy. He’s strong, loyal and generous.”
Phoenix Police said a suspect has not been arrested.
Map of the area where the shooting happened
What you can do:
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Phoenix Police Department at 602-262-6151.
You could also contact Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS. Spanish speakers can call Testigo Silencioso at 480-TESTIGO. Si tiene alguna información sobre este caso, llame a la línea de Testigo Silencioso (480-TESTIGO, 480-837-8446). You can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward.
The family has a GoFundMe to help with ongoing medical expenses.
Crime and Public SafetyPhoenixNews