Father of family shot on I-240 shares his side of the story

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The father of the family shot on the interstate last month is speaking out in an exclusive interview with WREG.

Now homeless, Antonio Meeks says a simple gesture for a car to go around him led to tragedy for him and his children.

Through tears, Meeks replays the moments on Interstate 240 that changed his family forever.

“I just grabbed all three of them and ran them back to the good Samaritans that helped us. I ran them back to the car,” Meeks said. “People ask me how I feel, I’m just here. I don’t know how to feel, you know what I’m saying.”

He says it was a simple drive home after picking up his three children and “bonus” son, ending in a car pulling beside them and firing shots.

“It wasn’t road rage, it wasn’t targeted, I didn’t disrespect them or taunt them in any way,” he said. “It could have happened to anybody but it happened to me and my children”

As his children and their mother are united, he says his recovery has been alone.

“I’ve been sleeping in my car. Here’s my luggage, my walker, my pillow, my blanket,” Meeks said.

Since he’s gotten out of the hospital, Meeks says he’s been kicked out and unable to see his kids. Now he’s homeless, disabled, and unable to work.

“When I got shot it went in my side and broke my tailbone and shattered my tailbone so the bullet is still there,” Meeks said. “I’m still healing from that.”

Despite his physical pain, he says it’s his broken family that hurts most.

“Before this, I was a working father, a good spouse,” Meeks said. “This situation really changed a lot for me.”

The suspects have a $1 million bond right now. Meeks says he has already forgiven them and is in physical and mental therapy to heal.

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