Milwaukee teenager speaks out after losing eye during a shooting at church picnic

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) – A teenager shot in Washington Park last month is now speaking out. The high school graduate was caught in the cross fire and is now living with permanent damage.

The teenager was at a church picnic in Washington Park on August 4, when shots were fired on the court. Four people were injured. The 18-year-old lost his right eye, the left side of his face doesn’t move because of nerve damage and he can’t hear out of one ear. His friends are helping him adjust.

“They asked me a question, why are you walking around with your eye closed? I go because I don't feel comfortable with no eye. And they go, we don't look at that bro we're just glad you're still here,” the teenager said.

His mother is thankful her son wasn’t killed.

“I was upset at first, but my reality is, I'll take an eye over a casket any day,” his mother said.

The teenager had plans to go into the military, like many of his family members had, but now he cannot.

“He can still go to college, but he wanted to go to the Air Force. I'm pissed,” his mother said.

In August, 19 people were shot and killed the family would like to see this violence stop.

“What were you thinking in that moment in time that you decided to open fire on a park?!” his mother said.

However, the teen is not letting this shooting take away from his positive outlook on life.

“Most people get shot one time and die," ” the teenager said "For me to get shot five times and still be here it's a purpose. So I'm not going to sit here and think about it. I'm going to find that purpose and be on this Earth, and I'm going to prosper off it. “

The other three victims suffered non-life threatening injuries. No one has been charged with the shooting yet.

The teenager and his mother did not want to share their names for this story.