‘It was a miracle I lived’: Restaurant owner shot in crime spree speaks out after man sentenced

ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. — Any time Greg Scampone takes a look down at his arm, and sees the bullet still lodged inside, it brings him back to a year and a half ago, inside of his restaurant, Fox’s Pizza.

“It’s definitely a daily reminder that I’m a lucky dude,” Scampone said. “I want it to come out. I want the bullet.”

Eric Jones robbed his restaurant, then shot Scampone six times. He still has three bullets inside of his body.

>> Man pleads guilty to string of armed robberies throughout Allegheny County, Fox’s Pizza Den shooting

“They said it was a miracle that I lived. They’ve never seen someone get shot directly in the chest, I think it was a half inch away from my heart,” he said.

Just yesterday, Jones was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for not only robbing Scampone and his pizza shop, but three other businesses.

>> One person shot during robbery at Fox’s Pizza Den in Oakmont, police searching for suspect

“I dont feel like that’s long enough. I believe by the books, justice was served, but for me personally, I don’t have that feeling, and ai probably never will,” he said.

As Jones was walking out of the courtroom, he said something to Scampone.

“I really wanted to get a moment of like him seeing me, and me seeing him. And that happened. He said ‘sorry about that.’ So that was his apology,” he said.

After he was shot, Scampone spent almost two months in the hospital, and has gone through countless surgeries.

>> Police arrest suspect in four Pittsburgh-area armed robberies

Not to mention, the emotional toll.

“At first, it was just hard to go out in public. I was afraid. Someone walking by, that might looked a certain way or shady… it just really alarmed me,” he added

But now, Scampone is back to working at his pizza shop, like nothing ever happened.

“You gotta put your right foot forward and keep moving. I don’t have time to look back.”

Jones also tried to rob the Edgewood Avenue Express, where he attempted to shoot the owner, but the gun jammed.

On Channel 11 News starting at 5 p.m., hear how he continues to push forward each day.

©2022 Cox Media Group