Slug found in Derfiss' backpack

The first person shot outside the library at Florida State University (FSU) by a crazed gunman yesterday morning credits God for allowing the books in his backpack to absorb the bullet that could have killed him.

The Blaze is reporting on the story of FSU senior Jason Derfuss, 21, who was exiting the Strozier Library about 12:25 a.m. on Thursday morning when he heard a loud bang behind him. Turning around slowly, he saw a gunman fire two shots into another student who instantly crumpled to the ground. Derfuss says he ran for his life, hopped in his car and called his dad who told him to call 911, which he did.

The shooter Derfuss saw was later identified as Myron May, a 2005 FSU grad who shot three people before police fatally shot him.

According to a spokesperson for Tallahassee Memorial Health Care, one victim is in critical condition and another in good condition, while a third was grazed by a bullet and received treatment at the scene before being released.

A damaged book from Derfuss' backpack

It wasn't until Derfuss returned to his room afterward that he realized how close he had come to being one of the victims. After dumping out his backpack on the floor, he noticed that two of the books he had checked out of the library that night were "completely messed up" as if something had torn through them.

One of his roommates discovered that this was exactly what happened and found a slug lodged into the bottom of Derfuss' backpack.

“It was hard to wrap my mind around,” he told the Tallahassee Democrat. "He was about 5 feet from me, but he hit my books. I assumed I wasn't a target, I assumed I was fine. The truth is I was almost killed tonight and God intervened."

He admits to being told "multiple times" that the books in his backpack should not have stopped the bullet.  “And I honestly think this was a direct intervention by God.”

Had he been hit, he would have been the shooter's first victim.

“It was humbling to know that my life was in God’s hands right there and that he graciously spared me,” he said, and went on to offer thanks to God that “all of the victims are actually alive right now.”

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