ATLANTA — As prosecutors in Fulton County seek the death penalty against Robert Aaron Long, a witness in the Atlanta spa shootings said he doesn't support it.
"I don't really agree with it," Marcus Lyon said.
Lyon, 31, explains he grew up going to church. He said his decision to not support the death penalty is based on his faith and living the Bible commandment "Thou shall not kill."
"Personally, I just think somebody should just sit down and rot in prison," he said.
Lyon was two minutes into his massage at the Young's Asian Massage Parlor, when he heard the gunshots that tragic day. He said he still credits one of the victims with saving his life.
Nearly two months since the shooting, Lyon said he keeps his gun with him at all times and would like to see Long face-to-face at his trial.
"At the end of the day, that would have been the last face I saw," he said. "Now I can see you [Long] without this gun."
Lyon said he is grateful to be alive today for his 4-year-old son and still remembers that moment when he first heard the gunshots.
"My son was the first person I thought of," Lyson said. "I was supposed to go pick him up after I got my massage... No, my son would not have me if this would have happened."