A Black father of five was gunned down in an unprovoked attack in Stockton, Calif., in what investigators are saying is a possible hate crime.
Bobby Gayle Jr., 45, a cement mason, was shot seven times on Oct. 8. According to a statement from investigators, the bullets missed major arteries and organs, with two striking him in the face KCRA reports.
Gayle was shot shortly after leaving a construction site. He is in stable condition and expected to survive his injuries, but has a long road to recovery.
Gayle was able to call his brother Marlon Gayle after he was shot and left him a voicemail that said, “Marlon, I’ve been shot. Pray for me. I swear to God. Please. In the name of Jesus. Hallelujah.”
FOX40 spoke to Marlon, who explained the events leading up to the shooting.
“He was driving in the wrong direction. He almost hit my brother and his friend. And so my brother said, ‘Hey, slow down.’ And that’s when a guy got out the car, and he started saying the N-word and shooting my brother,” Marlon said. “And you know, we were just like, wow. He didn’t just … he was trying to kill my brother.”
Bobby Gayle was rushed to the hospital from the scene. His brother described him as a “hardworking man” who is “loved by everybody,” Marlon told FOX40. “I’m glad that this is something that didn’t take his life.”
In a statement about the case posted on Facebook, the police department wrote:
On October 8, 2021, at 11:26 p.m., Stockton Police Officers responded to a report of a shooting in the 7600 block of Pacific Avenue. When officers arrived, they located a 45-year-old man who had been shot multiple times. The man was transported to an area hospital for treatment of what appears to be non-life-threatening injuries. The description of the shooter is a short white male, in his thirties, wearing a dark-colored jacket and jeans. The shooter’s vehicle is described as a late model Chevrolet Silverado extended cab truck with aftermarket chrome-colored wheels and tint on the back three windows. While detectives are in the early stages of this active investigation, this incident is being investigated as a potential hate crime.
A $10,000 reward was offered for information leading to the arrest of the gunman before Michael Hayes was identified as the suspected gunman. He was arrested Wednesday night and booked in San Joaquin County Jail thanks to an anonymous tip, KCRA reports.
“We believe in love,” said Marlon. “We believe in forgiveness, but at the same time, white supremacy, hatred, bigotry, and all of that — we stand against that.”
“We take these types of crimes very seriously and so we’re investigating it to the fullest. We have some detectives assigned to it, as well as an officer that’s assigned to the FBI task force,” assistant police Chief Jim Chraska said.
Hayes is facing attempted homicide and multiple weapons charges, according to CBS Sacramento.
“I would like to thank the anonymous tipster and the hard work of our detectives for bringing a quick resolution to this case for the victim and his family. Gun violence is not tolerated in our community,” Stockton Police Chief Eric Jones said in a statement posted to the department’s Facebook page.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help Bobby Gayle’s family.
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s “Dear Culture” podcast? Download our newest episodes now!
TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire and Roku. Download theGrio.com today!