Iraq vet shot in West Philly. Suspects include a man in pajamas

Jason Rivers survived seven months in Iraq as a U.S. Marine.

It was the mugging attempt outside his house in West Philadelphia this week that put a bullet through his backside.

"Come home and get shot?" Rivers said from his couch Thursday, occasionally wincing as he moved his left leg. "No. I never thought of that in my life."

The 42-year-old was struck through the buttocks around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday after two men approached him with a gun on the 100 block of North 60th Street, according to police records.

Rivers said the men - neither of whom he knew, and one of whom was wearing pajama pants - came up to him while he was outside cleaning snow and ice from his car.

Lt. John Walker of Southwest Detectives said: "They figured they'd be able to get him to turn his money over pretty quickly."

Rivers, however, sensed something was up.

Ever since returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom in April 2007, he has had exaggerated reactions to the slightest irregularities: train horns, loud noises, even certain smells trigger bad memories. He still can't take in Fourth of July fireworks with his 13-year-old son because he gets goose bumps from the sound.

So when the men walked toward Rivers and said, "You know what this is," they were right.

Rivers said that after telling them he didn't have anything, he lunged for the gun in the pocket of the man in pajamas.

They struggled for control of the weapon, then Rivers pushed off and began to run. Halfway down the block, he said, he looked back and saw the man in pajamas hand the gun to his friend, who began shooting. One of the shots hit Rivers in the buttocks; the bullet made its way back out through the front of his hip.

"Felt like someone hit me with a sledgehammer in my hip," Rivers said.

The men - both believed to be in their late teens - ran west on Race Street, police records said. Rivers was taken to Penn-Presbyterian Medical Center and released Wednesday.

Walker said of the shot: "Little further up, it could have been even more devastating."

Police ask that anyone with information call 215-686-8477 (TIPS) or send a text to 773847 (PPDTIP).