FORDYCE, Ark. — Not all heroes wear capes, but they often share two common qualities: boldness and bravery.
Since Friday's deadly mass shooting at the Mad Butcher grocery store, we've learned of many people who risked their lives to help others from gunfire. Some of which didn't even have a police badge.
Each bruise and scar on Silas Compton's body represents his survival after he fought for his life while helping others in the fatal shooting in Fordyce.
"I see him down the aisle shooting at people. The front windows are out of the Mad Butcher some of them are all just shattered because of all the shots, and people are screaming. It's a sad situation," Compton described. "I yelled at him, and I can't say exactly what I said, but I told him to stop and whenever I did, I guess he turned around towards me and so I ducked and he shot."
Compton said that though fortunately he wasn't hit directly by a bullet, he did suffer from wounds due to the shrapnel. However, those injuries didn't keep him down as he managed to get up and warn others outside of the active shooter.
"I'm so glad I could have been there, you know, very glad I was there and able to help out, and I wish we could have kept more people from dying," Compton explained.
As the tragedy unfolded, Compton recalled only thinking about his wife who has cancer.
"My wife was on the phone with me, and at one point, whenever I passed out, she's still on the phone with me for like two hours. And she didn't know whether I'm dead or what," Compton said.
He also shared that he has lived in Fordyce for more than a decade. He never thought this would happen in the place he calls home.
"It saddens me every time I see it, and it just angers me, because it's not something that should be going on," Compton said.
He credits his faith as the only reason he survived and said that it's the only thing that has been getting him through this difficult time.
"I trust in the Lord that he'll heal me, I believe he'll make things better for me, you know, and I may not be able to see it naturally, but I put my trust in him, and he will take care of me," Compton said.