Norfolk, Va. - A stray bullet traveled through Lavonne Pledger's car, shattering the back window and leaving a bullet hole in the windshield. Police don't know who fired the shots, meaning the single father of two is left to pay for the repairs.
"Coming to find out that I was a victim even though I wasn't even shot is really sad," said Pledger. "This is like a huge repair to get this time of year."
Pledger was out with friends the night of Nov. 29 when this all happened. He came back to discover the damage. "My mind was blown. I was upset. At the same time, I feel blessed to not have been in the car because it could've gone much worse."
The $400 repair is lower than his insurance deductible. Pledger is paying out of pocket and that's putting a strain on him, especially near Christmas. "We don't even have a tree yet. That's usually something we have. It's really hard to explain that to my kids."
The randomness of the shooting shows how gun violence can affect entire neighborhoods. "Even if you're not directly impacted, you're still affected if it happens in your neighborhood, your community, your city. It's something that's disappointing to even read about."
Friends and family have been helping with some of the expenses through aGoFundMe Page.
