Many may consider their jewelry necessary but for one Colorado man, his was, quite literally, a lifesaver.
According to police in Commerce City, Colorado, about 10 miles northeast of Denver, a 32-year-old man was shot but escaped with only a puncture wound thanks to his silvery necklace.
Witnesses told police the victim was shot at several times by his father after a reported argument on May 28, according to court records obtained by CNN.
The father, 66, was arrested later that day and was believed to be intoxicated at the time of the incident, according to a police affidavit. The father faces a charge of first-degree attempted murder, the court records show.
The .22 caliber bullet would have ended up in the victim’s neck had it not instead become lodged in the necklace, police said; his 10-milimeter-wide chain was able to blunt the force of the bullet and prevent it from causing further damage.
While the chain has been colloquially referred to as silver, the police department isn’t sure.
“We don’t know what kind of metal this is, but it’s likely not pure silver,” they wrote. “We looked it up … and silver is soft. So maybe think twice before you knock a knockoff. Just incredible.”