A man owes his life to a chain necklace he wore on the day he was shot, after the piece of jewellery is believed to have stopped a bullet from fully entering his neck and killing him.
While the chain necklace measures just 10 millimetres in width, it managed to block a bullet after it was fired during an argument between two men in Denver, US.
Photographs of the chain have been shared by Commerce City Police in Colorado, who later arrested the shooter on attempted homicide charges.
Advert
The metal is seen to have been damaged and twisted as it was hit by the 0.22 bullet which punctured the neck of the man wearing it, hurting him but thankfully not killing him.
The silver necklace is also covered in blood, with a close up shot showing how the metal was 'punctured' by the bullet but not penetrated.
It's thought that wearing the necklace at the time of the shooting is what saved the man's life, who has remained anonymous.
Advert
Writing on Facebook, Commerce City Police Department explained: "We'd say he really dodged a bullet-- but in reality, he LODGED a bullet.
"This silver chain-- approximately ten millimeters in width-- is likely the only reason the victim of a shooting we responded to yesterday is still alive.
"The .22 caliber bullet was fired during an argument and would have ended up in the victim's neck had it not instead become lodged in the chain he was wearing. As a result he suffered only a puncture wound.
Advert
"The suspect was arrested at the scene and is facing attempted homicide charges.
"Side note-- we don't know what kind of metal this is, but it's likely not pure silver. We looked it up... and silver is soft. So maybe think twice before you knock a knockoff. Just incredible."
People have flooded the comments in disbelief, as one person wrote: "New meaning to 'good luck charm'."
Advert
And another added: "He better go buy a lotto ticket with that luck."
"The fact the chain didn’t break is even more impressive," said a third.
Another joked: "That chain would become a family heirloom," while someone else clarified what metal the necklace might be made of: "I worked as a jeweler for 5 years. Most basic men's chains are made of stainless steel! That is what saved him."
Niamh Spence