Harold Powell, a 68-year-old disabled Navy veteran, expresses deep gratitude for his life after surviving a shooting incident while busking on Seattle’s waterfront. Powell, who has been performing music for donations for the past three decades, was released from the hospital last Sunday and is now recuperating at home following the harrowing event that took place on July 31.
According to Powell, while he was playing music, a man identified as 32-year-old Gregory Timm approached him and accused him of “stolen valor,” a term used to describe individuals falsely claiming military service. In response, Powell offered to show Timm his military ID to prove his service, but before he could retrieve it, the situation escalated rapidly.
Prosecutors allege that Timm produced a handgun from a zipped bag and fired a single shot into Powell’s chest. The alarming incident was captured on surveillance video. Remarkably, although the bullet fractured some of Powell’s ribs, it narrowly missed any critical organs, allowing him to survive the ordeal.
Powell’s military career was cut short in 1991 when he was hit by a drunk driver, which left him disabled. Despite his challenges, he has remained a fixture on the Seattle waterfront, sharing his love for music with passersby since 1995. Following the shooting, Timm was arrested and is currently being held in King County Jail on a $750,000 bail after a judge found probable cause for charges of assault and robbery.
While the incident has undoubtedly shaken him, Powell admits he hasn’t devoted much energy to thinking about Timm since the shooting. Instead, he focuses on his recovery and the support he’s received from friends and the community during this trying time. Powell’s resilience and gratitude for his survival shine through as he contemplates what lies ahead.
