El Paso shooting victim says his story is 'genuine' after police dispute his heroism
"His recollection of the events on August 3, 2019 are genuine," his lawyer said.
The El Paso shooting victim whose story of heroism was disputed by police said he's standing by his recounting of the attack at the Walmart.
Chris Grant was supposed to be one of 11 people honored by the White House for bravery in early September before he was detained by Secret Service over an open arrest warrant.
El Paso police later said video from the shooting did not match Grant's claims of throwing bottles to distract the gunman.
"[His actions] were basically human instincts, survival instincts, but they were not heroic or as he described," police spokesman Enrique Carillo previously told ABC News, declining to answer specific questions.
Grant now wants to tell his version of the events.
His lawyer said on Wednesday that Grant "stands by his statements and his recollections he made to police, to Chris Cuomo and others following the shooting.”
"He is still recovering from his physical injuries, but his recollection of the events on August 3, 2019 are genuine,” his lawyer, Rosana Narvaez, read from a statement.
Grant, a 50-year-old Texas resident, sustained bullet wounds during the shooting and underwent multiple surgeries.
He was released from the hospital by the time of the White House event Sept. 9 and was praised by President Donald Trump, but he didn't attend.
"Chris grabbed -- listen to this -- soda bottles, and anything else in front of him, and began hurling them at the gunman, distracting him from the other shoppers and causing the shooter to turn towards Chris and fire at him,” Trump said in his speech. "Chris suffered two very serious gunshot wounds, but he is recovering well and we wish him the best.”
Grant's mother, who was in attendance, collected the certificate of commendation on her son's behalf. Grant was later released from custody and it's unclear where the case stands.
El Paso police said the video footage they reviewed contradicted Grant's story, but they declined to describe what action, if any, Grant took, or comment on any interaction he might have had with the gunman.
Narvaez said that Grant, nor anyone outside of law enforcement, has reviewed the surveillance video in question.
"Nonetheless, a video cannot begin to capture the entire story of Mr. Grant's and others' plights as the mass shooter rampaged inside Walmart,” she added.