Transcription
You were steps away in that tent when it happened. Did you know in the moment that it was a gunshot? Yes.
And and I I had worried about this, Megan, even long before this date. And I always I always said to myself, if I'm ever with Charlie and they're and they take a shot at him, what am I going to do? Because I like I was in the Navy. In the Navy, you you always as as all military, you always have emergency procedures. You think about stuff before it happens and you decide before it happens. So you don't even have to think when it happens.
So when the shot when I heard the shot, the first thing I thought was go to Charlie, but his security detail was right there, Megan. And so I took two steps toward Charlie. I was maybe 25 ft off his left elbow, right elbow, sorry. And uh I started heading toward him. And then the security team was there. And so, okay, we got Charlie. So then I ducked thinking, "Okay, there's going to be more shots." And they went out one side behind the tent. I went out the other side and started running with them to the car.
And um we had this SUV lined up, the SUV we took in, the one you just saw in that that film clip a couple minutes ago. And uh they got him on the right side of the car. They they opened the back door and and kind of drugg him in. And I couldn't get in either door. So I popped the gate open and got in the back and climbed over the seat. And so his uh his Justin was driving. Dan, his main security guy, had the GPS in the passenger seat. Rick right to my left was on the headside of Charlie. He was dragging him across the seat and Brian was in to my right where the door was. And Charlie, as you know, Megan, 6'4, so too tall. We couldn't close the door. Just go, go. Let's go.
So, we just started driving and it's not an emergency vehicle. There's no sirens. There's no lights. There's We're just beeping the horn and I don't know how Brian stayed in the car cuz we're just yanking and banking trying to get to this this hospital that's like a little over four miles away. Um, and as we're as we're heading there, maybe halfway there, there's a there's an ambulance coming toward us, going toward the venue, and we're we're should we stop? No, just keep going. Just the doctor later said that was the right thing to do.
And we're trying to stop the bleeding. And I said, "We got to start CPR." I'm looking down at Charlie. I mean, he's he's a foot from me. His face is a foot from me. And uh his eyes are fixed, Megan. He's not looking at me. He's looking into eternity. He he was already with Jesus, absent from the body, present with the Lord, says the New Testament. And uh but we had to start CPR anyway. So we did. I just started pounding on him, trying to get him to respond. Couldn't do it.
Got to the got to the hospital and just ran him right in. right in through the emergency room and and they uh they had a team there and they started pounding on him and started putting blood in him and they did get a pulse but later the doctor said that's just because he was healthy. Um but the the shot was catastrophic. Let me just put it that way. There was we couldn't have done anything. We he died instantly. first day there when he was killed instantly. The the only the only comfort is that he didn't he didn't experience any any pain according to the doctor. He was just just taken out.
What did the doctor say when he came out? What did the doctor say when he came out? Well, there was one doctor that basically said, "Okay, we have a pulse." So, we're all praying out loud. We're like, "Come on, Lord. Save it. Come on. Give us a sliver of hope here. and uh we're praying out loud in the car on the way there and uh then they brought him into surgery and about I'd say a half hour later the head surgeon came out and said he's dead.
And that's when the great Mikey McCoy showed up. Actually, he was there just before that happened. and uh 23 years old. He's calling the vice president. He's calling Erica. He's sending a plane to get Erica. He's uh talking he's he's asking the doctor real hard questions. He's he's shaking a little bit, but he knows what he needs to do. He said, "Charlie would want me to do this." And he just took over. Uh, I I couldn't be more proud of that man. Love that man. 23 years old. Very impressive guy. We spent some time with him yesterday in the audience. Got to see him, meet him on the show.
I I've been wondering since last Wednesday, how are the guards, do you know? They must be so shaken up. Yeah. Um, that whole day I just kept going, hugging them, saying, "This is not your fault." I'm telling you, Megan, any one of those guys would have taken a bullet for Charlie. They loved him. they would have and uh they're professionals. Most of them have military background or at law enforcement background. Uh they they would have died for Charlie like Jesus died for us. They they they would have done it.
And you know, I'd like to think I would have done it, too. But I can't be the Apostle Peter and say, "Oh, Lord, I'll never deny you." And then I would, you know, I I don't know. I I'd like to think I'd have done the right thing if I had a chance to, but I um he was like a son to me, Megan. That's why I had to be in that car. I you know, you imagine your your your god forbid one of your children gets shot. You're not going to stay behind and you know, I'll see you at the hospital. No, I had to be in that car.
I know you had your phone on and your son was hearing all of this, too. So, I mean, he must he must have been traumatized just listening to it all. Yeah, he it was my son and daughter-in-law. I mean, he's 35 years old. And I was just I was facetiming them because they love Charlie and I was just at first I I was facetiming my wife and then I said, "Let me call Spencer." And so I started FaceTiming him during the event. During the event? Yeah. Both during the event. And uh and then when the shot rang out, I just, as I say, started heading toward the car and I just put the phone in my back pocket. I didn't even I didn't turn it off. I just, you know, instinctively. And uh by the time I got to the hotel, I pulled it out. They were still there. So, they heard the whole thing.
Do you know why the roofs were of the buildings were not protected? I wish I knew, Megan. I wish I knew. I as I understand it, that was the university police's role. That's my understanding, too. This is Butler, PA all over again, isn't it? Yep. You know, like what what's There does need to be a real investigation as to why why that they weren't patrolling that roof.
When inflation jumps, when you hear the national debt is over $37 trillion, do you ever think maybe now would be a good time to buy some gold? Well, you'd be right. Whether as a hedge against inflation, peace of mind during global instability, or just for sensible diversification, Birch Gold Group believes every American should own physical gold. And so they created something special. Until September 30th, if you're a first-time gold buyer, Birch Gold is offering a rebate of up to $10,000 in free medals on qualifying purchases. To claim eligibility and start the process, request an info kit right now. Just text MK to 989898. Plus, Birch Gold can help you roll an existing IRA or 401k into an IRA in gold. And you're still eligible for a rebate in free metals of up to 10 grand. So, make right now your first time to buy gold. And take advantage of a rebate up to $10,000 when you buy before September 30th. Text MK to the number 989898 to claim your eligibility and get your free info kit.
Thanks so much for watching. If you like what you just saw, hit the subscribe button for more clips and full episodes.