A 10-year-old boy is speaking out about his recovery after he was injured in a drive-by shooting in Pompano Beach last month.
Noah West thought his young life was over after he was shot back on March 21 on his way to hang out with a friend.
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WATCH HERE"I was walking with a friend and somebody pulled up with a scooter and another car pulled up, and they started shooting,” West told NBC6 on Tuesday. "When they shot me, I fell on the ground and got back up. That’s when I started running."
The shooting happened at Hunters Manor Park near Northwest 18th Avenue and was captured in surveillance video released by the Broward Sheriff's Office on Monday.
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"I thought I was dead," he said.
In the video, West is seen dribbling a basketball while crossing the street as a person wearing a green hoodie and long black pants enters the frame riding a scooter.
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A few seconds later, a gray sedan drives by, and shots are fired.
The scooter rider drops to the ground, as the 10-year-old boy takes off running. The vehicle turns north and flees the scene.
One bullet struck Noah’s left leg. Although he survived, he now walks with a limp.
"It kind of hurts when I limp," West said. "Nothing’s the same. I can’t play football no more. I can’t play basketball no more. I can’t run no more. I can’t play at the playground."
It’s a new reality that his mother April Lofton said her son is too young to have to deal with.
"He's 10 years old,” Lofton said. “He’s in elementary school. He’s a straight A student, and I feel that my son didn’t deserve this. I feel that he’s a kid and should be able to live in a decent community and play with children his age and be a kid."
Detectives are still trying to identify the shooter or shooters. Lofton said they’re speaking out because they want justice and for the shooter to be off the streets.
“Turn yourself in,” the mother said. “Do the right thing. He’s 10 years old. We just want them to stop the violence."
Anyone with information should call Broward CrimeStoppers at 954-493-TIPS.
