DJ shot in face in North Philly speaks from hospital as he recovers: 'I could have died'

Well, now to an Action News exclusive. A Drexel University student is facing charges for allegedly shooting a man in the face last week in North Philadelphia. The victim, a DJ named Chris Butler, remains hospitalized. But he shared with us the nightmare of that day and his painful road to recovery. Action News reporter Cheyenne Corrine is live from North Philadelphia with his story tonight. Cheyenne. Well, Chris Butler, he was seriously injured, but he's a fighter. He lost sight in one of his eyes, and he's now relearning how to walk. But while he's here recovering at the hospital, he just still does not understand how he went from partying with his friends to being shot in the head. I never would have guessed in a million years that I could take a .45 Cal to the face. And be here to talk about it. It's a second chance at life Christopher Butler never imagined he'd need. Today, the 29-year-old spoke exclusively with Action News while recovering at Temple Hospital, a week after he was shot in North Philadelphia. Here we go. Butler is an EDM DJ from Washington, D.C., who moved to Philadelphia just months ago to advance his career. His plans took a turn on November 2nd. When he was shot inside a home on the 900 block of West Dolphin Street. It was supposed to just be a morning of fun. We do jam sessions. Sources from the district attorney's office say alcohol, cocaine, nitrous oxide, and ketamine were found inside the home. Around 9 a.m., Butler says he went to the living room to take a nap. I remember looking up and there was a barrel to my head. And I heard the chink of the gun. Police say 22-year-old Drexel University student Jackson Roberts pulled the trigger. A witness told investigators she saw him smiling after firing the shot. Butler says the two were associates and there wasn't any previous altercation. I never had any reason to think that he's capable of something so heinous. And while Butler is still grappling with a possible motive. Instead of focusing on his next DJ set, he's fighting to take his next steps. I still have my motor skills, and the worst that happened is that I lost my eye. The bullets lodged in my C2 and C, uh, my C1 and C2 vertebrae. After the shooting, police say Roberts was found standing alone in the backyard of the house. He is now facing numerous charges, including attempted murder. I could have died. I realized I still had work left to do here on this planet. Of course, he still does have a long road ahead of him. However, he is making progress walking, and he hopes to be discharged from the hospital sometime this week. He also says that if his case does go to trial, that he is prepared to take the stand. At this time, the motive in this shooting is unknown. We're live in North Philadelphia, Cheyenne Corrine, Channel 6, Action News. All right, and we wish him all the best. Cheyenne, thank you for that report tonight.