Tobias Dorzon is getting candid about being shot at 11 times last November while being robbed.
The chef and Food Network star, who previously played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tennessee Titans, shared the harrowing details with People in an exclusive interview published on Nov. 4.
The incident occurred outside of his home in Hyattsville, Maryland, on Nov. 5, 2024. Dorzon and his girlfriend, Crystal Swan, were returning home from dinner in an Uber when a car pulled up behind them. Dorzon — who was without his security detail that night — didn’t think anything of it. But as he got out of the car to open the door for Swan, an armed group emerged from the other vehicle and started firing.
“I was trying to cover her and then I started getting hit,” Dorzon told the outlet. “I went to the ground and tried to drag myself toward the curb, but I couldn’t hear my girl,” he said.
He then recounted what was going through his head at the time. “You got that last second of almost thinking, are you still going to be here? People walking towards you that just shot you multiple times, what are they coming for? Are they coming to kill you? Are they coming to rob you? You really don’t know the end result. I’m just hoping my kids are good,” he said.
The group robbed him of his Audemars Piguet watch and his diamond necklace. “At that point, I’m thinking they’re going to pretty much finish me off,” Dorzon said.
But instead, they fled the scene, leaving him bleeding out. He later learned they shot him 11 times. Swan was also shot at, but it’s unclear how many times. They both survived their injuries.
Initially, Dorzon was told he would never walk again. But after two months in the hospital, multiple surgeries, and physical therapy, he prevailed. However, he told the outlet that he doesn’t have feeling in one finger and his injuries have slowed him down in the kitchen. But Dorzon isn’t letting that stop him from doing what he loves.
Dorzon will return to TV on Wednesday, Nov. 5. for the premiere of Food Network’s “Tournament of Champions: All-Star Christmas” at 8 p.m. ET. Fans can also stream the program on HBO Max.
“I’m just super grateful to be here, to be in the moment, and to still be able to cook and give people an experience,” Dorzon, who was named 2024 Maryland Chef of the Year, said. “That has always been my biggest focus and my dream, to create a memorable food experience for others.”
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