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'I Don't Take That,' Brooklyn Teen Rejects Apology From Man Who Shot Him In The Eye

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A brave boy was on a mission after surviving a shooting. On Tuesday, he spoke out against the gunman who shot him.

A lot has changed over the three years since gunfire dramatically changed 16-year-old Gama Droiville's life.

What's remained the same is his desire for justice.

On Tuesday, he courageously spoke at the sentencing of Kareem Potomont, the man who shot him.

"To hear that I was not seriously injured is absurd because I will never see out of my right eye again. Because of a coward I lost my vision," he said.

Potomont, 20, was found guilty of shooting Droiville in the eye in April 2014, as the young boy sat innocently at a Ditmas Park, Brooklyn bus stop, heading to a birthday party.

Police said the bullets were intended for a rival gang member.

On Tuesday, Potomont apologized in court.

"I'm sorry like how everything happened, and Gama, Gama ended up losing his eye. It wasn't intended. It happened, and I just want him to know that I'm truly sorry," he said.

Droiville wasn't ready to accept the apology.

"I don't take that. I don't take that," he said.

A judge sentenced Potomont to 24 years in jail. Not enough time in the opinion of the aspiring attorney whose injuries left him needing a glass eye.

"If you're going out shooting random people in the street, especially on a Brooklyn street, you're a coward, and you don't deserve to have innocence, and you don't deserve to live freely. You deserve to rot in prison," he said.

Droiville, a high school senior, said he will take what happened to him as fuel to fight for tougher gun laws.

He plans to study political science and run for public office one day to make those laws a reality.

 

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