FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - A tourist visiting the tropics was airlifted to a South Florida hospital with gunshot wounds he received during an armed robbery.
The Alabama victim, Kevin Newman, and his family were in the Turks and Caicos when he was robbed at gunpoint in the early morning hours, last Friday.
Detectives in the Grace Bay area of Providenciales said Newman was found unresponsive, suffering from a gunshot wound to the abdomen, around 1:45 a.m.
“We don’t understand why this happened,” said Newman’s friend, Angela Dixon.
“It was just wrong place, wrong time,” said Newman’s son, Gavin.
Newman was flown to Broward Health Medical Center in critical condition and was admitted to the ICU.
Family confirmed that Newman had to get his kidney taken out and that a bullet grazed his liver.
After days in the ICU, Newman’s family said his condition is improving. Newman’s wife posted an update on Facebook that stated her husband was taken off a ventilator and was conscious.
“He’s still on a rough ride right now, but he’s strong, so he’s gonna pull through it,” said Gavin.
Newman continues to recover in South Florida while his family is back home, praying for the best.
“Even though he’s my uncle, he’s basically like my second dad,” said Newman’s nephew, Michael McEachern. “I got to tell him how I really feel about him because I never got the chance too.”
“I can’t stand to see him like that, you know?” said Gavin. “‘Cause it’s my dad. I mean, my dad’s my best friend, you know?”
The Ministry of Tourism in Turks and Caicos said they take these types of crimes seriously, and police are doing what they can to catch the gunman.
“I don’t blame the place that we were at. Crime’s everywhere,” said Gavin. “He’s very, very lucky to be making the progress he is as traumatic as his injury was.”
No arrests have been made.
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