Victim of explosion speaks to FOX10

GULFPORT, Miss. (WALA) - The ATF continues to investigate how a civilian got a hold of military-grade explosives.

Dale Johnson, 33, from Gulfport, was critically injured when a shell exploded last week.

Johnson has been fighting to recover at USA Medical Center since Thursday.

He released exclusive video to FOX10 News as ATF authorities arrived to question him.

“They up here right now talking to all my family and everything. I don't know what’s going on, but I just wanted to tell them I was just cleaning junk trying to make money,” Johnson said. “I didn't know what it was. If I did I wouldn't have put a cut torch to it.”

Authorities said they found a variety of munitions at his Gulfport residence.

Early Friday morning, Military personnel were called-in to detonate the remaining explosives.

Now that the area is secure, both family and the ATF want to know where the munitions came from.

“Somebody sold that boy that kind of stuff. It messed his life up for the rest of his life,” said Johnson’s uncle, Jack Wilson.

Wilson said his nephew often buys boxes of junk from different people to strip them for scrap metal.

He said this time, it changed his nephew’s life forever.

“His left eye and his right eye -- he may be blind the rest of his life,” Wilson said. “If his knees don't get well, they're talking about taking his legs off. I don't know right now. We gotta wait a couple more days.”

It is expected to be a grueling process, but relatives are praying Johnson pulls through.

Authorities said their investigation will take some time, however they have already gotten tips and leads.

The ATF is asking anyone who knows where the explosives may have come from to give them a call.