Lou Whitmire

Reporter

MANSFIELD - Sam Thomas isn't angry at the individual who shot his wife while she was sleeping in an upstairs bedroom of their house Tuesday at 1:35 a.m.

He is sad that his wife, Teaka Davis. 37, was shot in her right buttocks and will require therapy because the bullet chipped her pelvis after it came into her bedroom window screen. He said she is still very sore, but most importantly he still has his wife.

"We didn't hurt anyone," he said.

Thomas, a member of the Mansfield Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, said he will pray for the person who stood outside his house and did harm to his wife. A minister at Faith Temple Church of God in Christ on Daisy Street, Thomas said at the time he thought he was hit too with everyone's adrenalin flowing.

"I can't help my wife and my wife didn't do nothing to nobody. Both of us ain't did nothing to nobody," he said. "This is the first time anything like this has ever happened to us.

"Bullets went through my daughter's bedroom window too. We had just watched a ballgame. I heard three shots and I told my wife those are getting kind of close. One hit my car," he said. Luckily his daughter was not hurt.

On Wednesday afternoon his wife was expected to be released from OhioHealth MedCentral Hospital.

"I work within the community with the young folks. Years ago I was part of the Mayor's Task Force and I still go into Senior High, I still have my badge. I know a lot of young people by working in the community," Thomas said.

"We know they have different gangs going on and people trying to establish their territories," he said.

"They've got to get the message it's about peace and love," said Thomas who has lived at his current residence for three months. "Would they want someone to threat their family like that?"

Retired from General Motors Mansfield Ontario Stamping Plant, Thomas, 62, said he now works for the Madison School District.

Back in the day, he said he would've wanted to hurt the person who did this to his loved one.

"They think they got away but God sees all," he said.

"The way I love children and the way I love life I'm praying for this guy myself that he get it right with God because God seen," he said. "You can think you're tough and bad but there ain't nobody tough and bad but God. When you're hurting one person, you're hurting Him too because he made us all," Thomas said.

Earlier, Mansfield police Capt. Shari Robertson said the case was assigned to a detective Tuesday for follow up. Two other witnesses told police on Tuesday they heard the shots being fired but did not see anyone.

"At this time, we have no suspects or motive," she said.

Thomas said the person who does something like this better get close to Jesus.

"You think your gang is gonna help you, you think your boy is going to help you? As soon as trouble comes, they're going to run," Thomas said. "They better start going to church and start loving everybody. I used to be in that position back in the day. I didn't love myself. Then God allowed me to love me," he said with emotion.

Thomas said there was a day he was like these kids running the street. He said he thought he had it made.

"Not until I found Jesus that I found my life (in 2000)," he said.

lwhitmir@nncogannett.com

419-521-7223

Twitter: @LWhitmir