Father Of Okmulgee County Teen Shot 10 Times Speaks Out

Friday, June 15th 2007, 4:21 pm

By: News On 6

An Okmulgee County teen is still in ICU, days after being shot 10 times while his family says he was protecting a friend. It happened in the town of Schulter, south of Okmulgee. The News On 6â€™s Heather Lewin reports as investigators probe the details of the shooting, the 17-year-old's family is keeping watch beside his hospital bed.

â€œHe was just going to protect her,â€ said Justin Burgessâ€™ father Skip Burgess. â€œThat's all he was doing."

Skip Burgess says his son was responding to a friend's call for help. He says the girl told Justin Burgess she was being beaten by her father inside this Okmulgee County home. Investigators say when the teen arrived, the girl's father, 38-year old Jesus Bustos met him at the door. There was a shoving match, and Justin Burgess was shot repeatedly, eight times in the arms and chest, twice in the back.

â€œIt's unbelievable, totally unbelievable," Skip Burgess said.

He says his son is still in intensive care, but is improving.

â€œDoctors say it's remarkable being shot that many times," he said.

Justin Burgessâ€™ friends are posting messages of support on his MySpace page. It's now a waiting game for his family, hoping he'll recover and hoping for justice in what they see as an attempt at murder.

â€œWhy not fire a warning shot? Why not fire one shot in the air away from him, not 10 or 11 times at him,â€ said Skip Burgess. â€œThat sounds like somebody that wants to kill somebody to me."

Detectives found a .22-caliber handgun and a knife at the scene. Bustos has not been arrested.

Investigators say because Justin Burgess had a knife, they are forced to first consider the Stand My Ground Law even if they suspect the shooter used excessive force.

That law allows Oklahomans to kill to defend themselves if they have a reasonable fear that their life is in danger.

Watch the video: Teen Recovering After Being Shot 10 Times