Iraq war veteran carjacked, robbed of crutch and pain pills he uses for broken ankle

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Daniel Chapman served two tours in Iraq. He suffers from PTSD. Now confined to a crutch because of an injured leg, things haven't been the easiest.

And just because it was Memorial Day doesn't mean it would get any easier.

"You know, I'm thinking about my kids, so I don't want to end up shot on Woodward," he said, "fter I survived everything I survived."

The 35-year-old Detroit man had stopped at Kingwood Liquor around 1 a.m. on Woodward Avenue near Kenilworth because it was a Green Light business - which designates the business as one that's monitored by police with surveillance. 

But that didn't stop an unknown man from walking up to Chapman as soon as he got out of his car, pointing a gun in his face and demanded his keys and his wallet. Chapman had even parked at the front door.

"I tried to think back to training, you know what I mean?" he said. "The guy was quite close to me, but due to my leg, I didn't think I was agile enough to put up a fight with him. It wasn't worth losing my life over a vehicle."

What Chapman did lose however was his 2011 Black Yukon Denali XL, $18 in cash and the supplies he uses to aid him with a casted foot.

"Which had all my medical things in there for my leg. Scooter, crutches, pain pills."

Chapman filed a police report, but isn't holding out hope. This isn't even the first time he's been carjacked. A few years ago, he was robbed outside of the city. Investigators didn't find his car until it had been stripped. 

When Chapman was serving overseas, he suffered from a brain and back injury. He also isn't working due to his broken ankle. While the Detroit Police Department won't release the Green Light footage of the interaction until tomorrow, it will be a while before Chapman can return to normality. 

With no transportation, the veteran has no way of visiting his kids.

"Just got to be vigilant with your comings and goings," Chapman said. "I blame myself in portions. I shouldn't have gone to the store that late at night anyway. I know better. But it was a green light, it wasn't a dark store. I parked right at the door. It just happened so fast."

The family has set up a GoFundMe to assist Daniel while he waits for any help from the police.