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Garden City shooting victim recalls moment his car collided with shooter's car & chaos that followed

Morning after Christmas incident left 1 dead, 2 injured and a community shaken
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Posted at 5:40 PM, Dec 27, 2023
and last updated 2023-12-27 18:19:04-05

More survival stories are emerging from the chaotic shooting in Garden City that took place the Tuesday morning.

A car crash that turned into a violent crime scene at the intersection of Ford and Venoy.

One of the drivers opened fire on several innocent bystanders.

At 7:14 a.m., the sound of a car crash picked up on the gas station's security cameras. The footage also reveals the violence that followed.

Man shot while trying to help after Garden City crash, suspect killed by police

"All I just remember is looking to my left and seeing a car doing 70 to 80 mph," said Jimmy Fields.

Jimmy Fields, 33, was on his way to work driving the Black Buick. The shooter, a 37-year-old male from Hamtramck, was driving the Jeep.

"I blacked out after I got hit, woke up, and saw the airbags deploy. Smoke in the vehicle and then gunshots," said Fields.

Police shoot armed suspect involved in crash

The shooter fired more than eight rounds indiscriminately at people.

Security footage shows a woman narrowly escaping, but Antoine Williams was shot twice, one in the cheek and the other in the ear.

The 48-year-old had just pumped gas. When Williams saw the crash, he rushed to render aid, but the shooter aimed at Williams instead, even chasing him inside the gas station.

I spoke to Antoine yesterday while he was recovering.

"I knew I got shot, I thought I was dead then. I was like it was over. And that's the first thing went through my mind, its over. I thought about my daughter and wife and everything," said Williams.

The shooter was shot and killed by the first-responding Garden City police officer. But Fields says it's because of Williams that he can hug his family again.

"I was told that the person was coming to check on me, the shooter went after the other person," said Fields.

I connected them over the phone so Fields could thank his angel.

"I'm sorry, man, sorry about everything," said Williams.

"Likewise, I just wanted to say thank you. I appreciate you for trying to render aid to me, and this is very appreciated. Thank you," said Fields.

"Antoine, just you know Jimmy is a dad. He's got four kids. His youngest one is 11 months," I told him.

"Man! I'm tearing up, I'm tearing up. It wasn't our time. Man, when I got shot, I was thinking about my kids, we in the father game," said Williams.

"Yes, sir!" said Fields.

Williams is back home with his two kids and wife. Williams still has bullet fragments lodged in his cheek; doctors say there is no urgency to remove them for now.

Meanwhile, Fields has been advised to see a spine specialist due to the pain and will need to take at least a few weeks off from work.

In the meantime, as the investigation continues. Michigan State Police say so far, a motive behind the shooting hasn't been established.