A 14-year-old Vancouver boy is expected to return to school Wednesday after he spent the past few days recovering from being shot by a stray bullet that police say was fired by members of a gang.
Jordan Miller-Abers was spending the weekend with his dad, Jesse Abers, 52, at his Portland apartment in the 13800 block of Southeast Stark Street. He went to sleep Friday night after watching some TV. But the family was suddenly awakened about 2 a.m. Saturday by the sound of gunshots.
“One minute you’re sleeping peacefully, five minutes later (your house) is a crime scene,” Abers said.
Abers quickly learned that his son had been struck by one of the bullets.
The bullet had come through the ground-level apartment’s window, ricocheted off of something and flown into Jordan’s chest, through the boy’s armpit and into his biceps muscle, Abers said.
“It missed his heart, missed major arteries, missed his nerves,” Abers said. “It’s remarkable that he’s alive.”
The Portland Police Bureau responded to the incident, but have not arrested anyone associated with the incident nor have they released information about the suspect or suspects.
Doctors don’t want to remove the bullet because of possible complications, Abers said.
It could be removed later, but for now, “he’s got a souvenir,” Abers said.
Jordan is a freshman at Mountain View High School.
Although the boy was caught in the crossfire and could have died, Abers said that Jordan was able to laugh at one thing the night of the shooting. The shirt he was wearing? The front read: “You can’t keep me down.”
“When he saw that, it sure inspired him,” Abers said. “He’s been a tough soldier through the whole thing.”
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