Texas man shot 6 times sees surgery delayed for days amid hospital's coronavirus crowding: report

HOUSTON - Six days after being shot six times outside of a Houston grocery store, Ben Taub Hospital patient Joel Valdez was reportedly still waiting to undergo surgery on Friday. 

The hospital’s intensive care unit was nearly at full capacity – 98% – driven up by a surge of delta variant coronavirus patients, Harris Health System in Harris County said, according to FOX 26 in Houston. 

Around 33% of Ben Taub’s ICU patients are sick with the coronavirus and other hospitals in the county are reportedly near capacity as well, health officials said.

"Everybody is really surprised I’m still in this bed a week later," Valdez told the station. "Having broken bones and bullets in me for over a week now, it’s a little frustrating," said Valdez. 

He said he was shot in the neck and three times in his left shoulder on Aug. 7 when he was leaving a Kroger store. 

"That’s what is broken and what I’m awaiting surgery for," he said. He was also shot in an arm and his chin. 

He had been shopping for his catering business when he witnessed a domestic dispute in the parking lot, KTRK-TV in Houston reported. 

He was fired on while driving out of the parking lot allegedly because the man didn’t like the way Valdez had looked at him during the argument. 

A suspect identified as Kendrick Green was arrested and charged this week, FOX 26 reported. 

Valdez is a new father, according to KTRK. 

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"As soon as I got shot and I was driving away, the only thing I could think of when I saw the blood pouring everywhere was my son and my wife," he told the station.

He advised people to "Do your best to maintain your health and not end up in a situation that puts you in the hospital right now," FOX 26 reported. 

For more, check out FOXNews.com.