Man shot 5 times by stranger, survives

Three weeks ago, 13 News reported a man shot multiple times near downtown Topeka, Kan., at SW 6th and Taylor. He had surgery and survived.

Now, he is sharing his story as Topeka Police continue to search for the shooter.

“It was just the right place at the wrong time,” says 24-year-old Jeff Dubree.

Three weeks ago, Dubree was walking home from work,” like any other day, you know, to come see my kids,” he says.

That’s when he says a man who he’s never met before came up to him and asked him for money.

“The last thing I said you know was ‘this is shady’ and I put on my headphones, then I turned around to make sure he wasn’t behind me still and then his gun was drawn to my face and I said ‘please don’t,’” says Dubree.

Dubree says the man shot him 5 times before running into a black SUV with other people. Dubree ran one block from 6th and Polk and called the police.

“I put my arm up and took the rest of the shots and when he turned and ran I turned and ran,” he says.

While all of this was going on, his fiance, Autumn Tait, was busy at home with their 2 kids and had no idea until the police took her to the hospital where he was undergoing surgery.

“Nothing you can really prepare for, you know, it really just tugs on your heart to see him going through everything he is going through,” says Tait.

“Here is one of the multiple bullet wounds,” Dubree says pointing to his abdomen. Dubree used a feeding tube for a week. Now, Dubree uses a golf club as a cane to get around.

“It hasn’t been the easiest, but we are making the best of it,” says Tait.

“I can’t believe it happened to me, but it happened to me. For me this was devastating, but for the world around me its just another blip on the news. It didn’t kill me, so I can only get stronger from it,” says Dubree.

Topeka Police still do not have any suspects or anyone in custody. Dubree says he is on probation for a prior incident, but he and the Topeka Police say the shooting incident is unrelated.

Jeff Dubree and his fiance Autumn Tait are struggling with medical bills. If you would like to make any monetary donations, they have a “Go Fund Me” account called “Family Matters Hope For Jeffery.”