Jason Franklin, 42, was shot in the head by gang members who mistakenly targeted his Bristol home in 2010, leaving him with life-changing injuries and a quest for justice that remains unresolved.
The Night of the Attack
On Easter Sunday, April 4, 2010, Jason was at home with his partner Keela and their five-month-old son Lucas, watching the film From Paris with Love. At around 10:30 pm, he was woken by a banging at the front door. He rushed to hold it shut, but intruders fired through the glass panel, hitting him in the head.
The bullet, described by police as homemade, shattered on impact, leaving Jason with a hole in his head and over 100 pieces of shrapnel in his forehead. He also suffered glass injuries to his eyes. Despite the severity, Jason said, "Weirdly, I wasn't in any pain at all."
Aftermath and Investigation
Jason was rushed to the hospital, where he received 10 stitches and surgery to remove glass from his eyes. Police later told him the attack was part of a gang dispute, and the attackers had gone to the wrong house. "They didn't do their research; they were just told to go to the house next to the boarded-up house, but they got the wrong side," he said.
Two months after the shooting, the family moved to a flat on the other side of Bristol for safety. However, by the end of the year, police closed the case due to exhausted leads, leaving Jason devastated.
Ongoing Impact
The attack has had a lasting effect on Jason's mental health, causing PTSD, anxiety, and depression. He has been unable to work and struggles to take his sons out. "It's really affected Lucas as I wasn't able to take him out to places when he was growing up, due to my mental health," he said. "I'm devastated that the people who did this to me were never caught."
Avon and Somerset Police have been contacted for comment.
