Former Navy SEAL shot in parking lot plugs wound then chases assailants

Former Navy SEAL Christopher Heben of Medina, Ohio was shot in the abdomen after a verbal argument with occupants of a car who nearly backed into him outside of a grocery store. What happened next is a story of pure SEAL grit!

Heben told police that on March 28 he was walking to the Mustard Seed grocery store in Bath Township when a car that was backing up nearly hit him. A collision was avoided but the 44-year-old stated that the folks in the car started yelling profanities at him.

The vet continued on into the store but realized he forgot his wallet and headed back outside. At this time he said that the car that nearly hit him pulled up and before realizing what happened he had been shot in the stomach.

Heben then got into his car and chased the shooters and while doing so he managed to plug the wound in his abdomen. “He indicated to us he actually plugged the hole in his abdomen to stop the bleeding as he drove to the station,” Bath Township Police Chief Mike McNeely told NewsNet5.

The last Heben saw of the vehicle, which he described as a gray low-profile sports car, was of it heading onto Interstate 77. Christopher gave up the chase realizing he needed to be attended to, so he made his way to a fire department where he received treatment before being taken to an area hospital.

Heben has been keeping his followers up to date on his progress since the shooting. A recent post made yesterday read:

“Thanks guys. IV is still in, just removed for an hour or so…per protocol, they change them out every 4 days. I’m also in a pretty fair amount of pain, but that’s to be expected. Onward and upward!”

Mary Zeinert, who was at the scene, said of Christopher, “He knew what he had to do to survive. Someone else might not have been. I’m so glad that hopefully he will be okay and that they’re able to bring those people to justice.”

Police are reviewing surveillance footage from the shopping center and are seeking assistance in finding those responsible.

Note: B/W pic was from before his additional visible tattoos in recovery images.