THOSE ARE THE HEADLINES. MATT, OVER TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>> NOW, A "TODAY" EXCLUSIVE.
I'M SITTING WITH PETER GOLD. THIS IS A GUY WHOSE STORY WE
COVERED IN 2015. HE WAS A MEDICAL STUDENT AT
TULANE. HE TRIED TO HELP A WOMAN WHO WAS
BEING DRAGGED DOWN A NEW ORLEANS STREET AT GUN POINT.
WHEN HE TRIED TO HELP HER, THE ATTACKER SHOT PETER IN THE
STOMACH. AND ATTEMPTING TO EXECUTE HIM.
PETER, GOOD MORNING. GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE. >> WE'LL SHOW THE STORY IN A
SECOND. I WANTED TO COME OUT TO YOU
BECAUSE WHEN WE FIRST MET A FEW MONTHS AGO, YOU TOLD ME YOU'VE
NOT WATCHED THE TAPE OF WHAT HAPPENED.
IT WAS CAUGHT ON SURVEILLANCE TAPE.
YOU DIDN'T WANT TO SEE IT. YOU SAID YOU WERE NOW READY TO
WATCH IT. SO, IT'S OKAY IF WE ROLL IT NOW?
>> LET'S DO IT. >> ALL RIGHT.
LET'S TAKE PEOPLE BACK TO NOVEMBER OF 2015.
THE HORRIFIC CRIME WAS CAUGHT ON SURVEILLANCE TAPE.
A WOMAN BEING DRAGGED DOWN AN NEW ORLEANS STREET BY AN ARMED
MAN, NOW. THE VIDEO SHOWS A WITNESS, PETER
GOLD, A STUDENT AT TULANE UNIVERSITY, STOPPING HIS CAR TO
HELP THE WOMAN. BUT HE TURNED HIS GUN ON GOLD,
WANTING MONEY. >> A MAN YELLING, DON'T.
I TOLD YOU I DON'T HAVE MONEY. >> Reporter: HE SHOT HIM IN THE
STOMACH AND CONTINUED TO POINT HIS GUN AT GOLD AS HE LAY
WOUNDED ON THE GROUND, PULLING THE TRIGGER AGAIN AND AGAIN.
BUT THE GUN JAMMED, SPARING GOLD'S LIFE.
THE SHOOTER'S CAR AND LICENSE PLATE WERE CAUGHT ON CAMERA,
WHICH LED TO HIS ARREST. HE WAS CONVICTED ON MULTIPLE
CHARGES AND SENTENCED TO 50 YEARS IN PRISON.
PETER GOLD SURVIVED, WENT ON TO FINISH HIS MEDICAL DEGREE AND IS
NOW SPEAKING OUT FOR THE FIRST
TIME. >> PETER, WELCOME BACK.
I WATCHED YOU WATCHING THAT. YOU KEPT SHAKING YOUR HEAD.
>> I REMEMBER BEING RIGHT THERE AND LOOKING AT THIS GUY IN THE
FACE. ME HELD HIS GUN TO ME.
AND HE TOLD ME I'M GOING TO KILL YOU.
AND HE SHOT ME IN THE STOMACH. I FELL TO THE GROUND.
TO BE ABLE TO WATCH THAT VIDEO, MAKES ME FEEL LUCKY AND HAPPY TO
BE ABLE TO SHARE THIS MOMENT WITH YOU AN SPEND TIME WITH
FRIENDS AND FAMILY. >> THAT GUN WORKED THE FIRST
TIME HE PULLED THE TRIGGER. HE GOT YOU IN THE STOMACH.
AS HE CONTINUED TO PULL THE TRIGGER WITH THE GUN POINTED
DIRECTLY AT YOUR HEAD, HE JAMMED.
HOW MANY TILES HAVE YOU ASKED YOURSELF, WHY DID THE GUN JAM ON
THE NEXT ATTEMPTS? >> FOR ME, THAT'S THE MOST
SURREAL PART. MY BACK WAS TO HIM AT THAT TIME.
IF THIS VIDEO DIDN'T COME OUT, I DON'T THINK WE WOULD KNOW THAT
HAPPENED. I JUST THINK IT'S A QUESTION WE
CONTINUE TO ASK. BUT I'M LUCKY AND FORTUNATE TO
BE ABLE TO COME OUT OF THAT
ALIVE. >> HOW ARE YOU?
THAT BULLET DID A LOT OF DAMAGE. >> I FEEL GREAT.
I HAVE TO GIVE CREDIT TO MY DOCTORS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
MEDICAL CENTER AT TULANE IN NEW ORLEANS.
THEY TOOK ABSOLUTE CARE OF ME. AND YOU KNOW, IT'S AN INCREDIBLE
MIRACLE. >> YOU HAD AN INCREDIBLE YEAR
SINCE THEN. YOU GOT YOUR MEDICAL DEGREE.
YOU'RE FINISHING UP AN INTERNSHIP YEAR OF ORTHOPEDIC
SURGERY RESIDENCY. HOW FAR DO YOU GO BACK AND THINK
ABOUT THAT DAY? >> I THINK OF THAT DAY EVERY DAY
OF MY LIFE. THERE'S NOT A DAY THAT PASSES
BY. AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN
THIS COUNTRY THAT ARE AFFECTED BY GUN VIOLENCE.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WATCHING HERE TODAY THAT KNOW SOMEBODY
THAT'S BEEN AFFECTED OR HAVE BEEN AFFECTED THEMSELVES.
AND TO BE SITTING HERE TALKING TO YOU AND HAVE THIS VOICE, I
FEEL I HOPE I'M NOT ONLY SPEAKING FOR MYSELF BUT SPEAKING
FOR THEM, AS WELL, TOO. >> YOU WANTED TO SPOKE AND GIVE
A STATEMENT AT THE SENTENCING OF THE MAN WHO SHOT YOU.
CAN I READ A PORTION OF WHAT YOU SAID?
I WOKE UP TWO DAYS LATER, SURROUNDED BY FAMILY AND A GROUP
OF BEST FRIENDS. THIS MOMENT WILL FOREVER BE THE
HAPPIEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE. I WAS ALIVE.
YOU HADN'T KILLED ME. AND WITH MY FAMILY BY MY SIDE, I
KNEW I WOULD BOUNCE BACK STRONGER THAN EVER, STRONG
ENOUGH TO STAND FACE-TO-FACE WITH YOU AGAIN.
WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT?
>> I THINK IT WAS ONE OF THE SILVER LININGS IN THIS ENTIRE
THING. I WOKE UP IN THE HOSPITAL, A
GROUP OF TEN OF MY FRIENDS HAD FLOWN DOWN TO NEW ORLEANS.
MY FAMILY WAS THERE. AND IT WAS A SPECIAL HOME OF
RECOVERY, TO KNOW THAT I WAS
GOING TO GET THROUGH THIS. >> YOU MENTIONED YOUR FAMILY.
I WANT TO REMIND VIEWERS, AT THE TIME YOU WERE ROBBED, SHOT AND
ALMOST KILLED, YOU WERE ON THE CELL PHONE WITH YOUR MOM.
SHE HEARD -- YOUR DAD, TOO. THEY HEARD THIS ENTIRE THING
HAPPENING TO YOU ON THE PHONE. HOW WAS THIS IMPACTING THEM?
>> IT WAS TRAUMATIC. WHEN SOMEONE'S AUCTION CAUSES
MORE THAN JUST THE DIRECT ACTION, IT'S A RIPPLE EFFECT FOR
EVERYONE ELSE. IT WAS TRAUMATIC FOR FRIENDS AND
FAMILY. ALL OF US WERE LOOKING FORWARD
AND TRYING TO DO SOMETHING POSITIVE OF WHAT'S HAPPENED
HERE. >> YOU WERE ON THAT SIDEWALK
THAT NIGHT BECAUSE YOU STOPPED TO HELP SOMEONE YOU DIDN'T KNOW,
WHO WAS IN TROUBLE. THERE IS NO QUESTION YOU ARE A
HERO. WOULD YOU, TODAY, STOP TO DO THE
SAME THING? >> I THINK IT WAS COMPLETELY
INSTINCTUAL WHAT I DID. I'M DRIVING BY AND I SEE A MAN
DRAGGING A GIRL ACROSS THE GROUND.
YOU SAW THE VIDEO. IN NOBODY'S MIND IS THAT RIGHT.
I HOPE IF I'M FACED IN THE SAME SITUATION, I WOULD ACT AGAIN TO
HELD OUT SOMEBODY IN NEED. >> YOU WANT TO MAKE GOOD OUT OF
THIS. YOU'RE STARTING A FOUNDATION
CALLED STRONG CITY. YOU WANT TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE
WHO FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO CREATE A
CAUSE SURROUNDING THIS? >> ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I
STARTED TALKING ABOUT WHEN I WOKE UP IN THE HOSPITAL, I'M
THINKING ABOUT IT AGAIN HERE, WATCHING THIS VIDEO, IS WHAT
HAPPENED IN SOMEBODY'S LIFE THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO CREATE SUCH
VIOLENCE WITH SUCH EASE, WITHOUT EVEN THINKING ABOUT IT?
WHAT HAPPENED IN HIS COMMUNITY? WHAT HAPPENED AT SCHOOL?
WHAT HAPPENED WITH HIS FAMILY? AND WHAT STRONG CITY AIMS TO DO
IS THROUGH FUND-RAISING AT MYSTRONGCITY.ORG WE WANT TO
SUPPORT COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE DOING AN
AMAZING JOB AT EMPOWERING UNDERSERVED YOUTH.
AND FOCUSING ON KIDS AS THE DEVELOPMENTAL JOURNEY BEGINS.
>> YOU'RE A SPECIAL YOUNG MAN. I APPRECIATE YOU SPENDING TIME
WITH US THIS MORNING. >> THANK YOU.
>> WE SHOULD MENTION, YOU