After the alleged Phoenix Motel 6 shooter Daterryn McBride shot five people, he fled to a nearby apartment complex and abducted a young Valley father just arriving home with his family.
"I had no idea where he came from. He asked me for a phone," said 23-year-old Hay Da.
At first Da and his girlfriend Mara Yan thought McBride, 28, was a panhandler.
"He showed me his gun and asked if I have a car. I said, 'Yeah I have a car -- if you need my key I'll just give you my key.' But he didn't want it. He wanted me to be with him and he said, 'Go to your car.'" Da told ABC15.
The young father said he could only think of how to get his girlfriend and 4-month-old son away from McBride. He began to negotiate, telling McBride he would help him with whatever he needed if he would let his family go.
McBride allowed the young mother Mara Yan and her son Zaide to stay behind, warning them not to call police or he would shoot Da.
"She asked me in our language, 'What am I supposed to do?' and I showed her with my eyes the look that said, Call police,'" said Da.
After McBride abducted Da, Yan ran to call police.
"I thought he would shoot him in the car and leave him somewhere and take the car," said Yan.
Da said McBride drove right past the Motel 6 where he allegedly shot five people.
"I see there's a lot of police there and he even told me that he shot someone, so I ask him, 'Why, what was wrong, what was wrong?' and he said it 'just accidently happened," said Da.
Da said McBride asked him if he had ever made a mistake citing, "We all make mistakes."
That's when Da said McBride started speeding, hitting speeds around 100 mph.
Da said McBride was sweating profusely and dropped his gun several times.
"He told me, 'Don't try to be a hero,' so I didn't try to do anything," said Da.
Da also feared if he turned the gun on McBride, the gunman would crash killing them both.
"The car was just like flying," said Da of the frightful ordeal.
McBride hit several cars and even a house before something happened to the car's engine.
Da recalled oil spilling out and the transmission possibly failing.
When it came to a stop, McBride fled once again and Da called Yan to tell her he was okay.
"I was so happy, I felt so good," said Da
"I felt lucky nothing happened to us," said Yan
Police say McBride carjacked another car before they cornered him in a field where he shot himself.
McBride is accused of shooting five people and killing two.
