Time July 8, 2019
Colin Goddard lay in a pool of his own blood, hopinG his
racing heart would not tip off the approaching gunman that he
was still alive. The shooter hovered over Goddard, paused and
fired two more bullets into him anyway.
Goddard survived the April 16, 2007, massacre at Virginia
Tech, which killed 32 people and was the worst school shooting
in U.S. history. Twelve years later, he tries not to dwell on the day,
but he has dozens of constant reminders: bullet fragments lodged
in his body, leaching toxins into his blood.
Like hundreds and possibly thousands of shooting survivors
across the country, Goddard, a 33-year-old father of two, is suf-
fering a lesser-known side effect of gun violence: lead poisoning.
When he was shot in his French class that spring day, three bul-
lets shattered when they hit his hips and left knee. Because the
fragments did not pose life-threatening risks, trauma surgeons
left them in his body—a common and widely accepted practice
in emergency rooms. Now, with his blood lead levels seven times
higher than what is considered safe, Goddard faces long-term
health risks, including neurological problems, kidney dysfunc-
tion and reproductive issues.
The metal’s toxicity is well documented, but only wildlife have
benefited from efforts to outlaw its use in bullets. California in July
will become the first state to ban lead hunting bullets, the culmi-
nation of a years-long battle that pitted environmentalists against
the National Rifle Association (NRA) and other gun-rights groups.
“I was told, ‘You’re going to be fine in the long term,’ and that’s not
right,” Goddard says. “It throws you back when you realize you’re not
out of the woods yet, and this terrible day is not entirely behind you.”
They survived mass shootings,
but the bullets could still kill them
By Melissa Chan
Sarah Salazar
survived a mass
shooting, but an
X-ray shows the
shotgun pellets
still in her body
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