Amid the brief, terrifying confusion at the entrance of Florida State University's main library last night, one student narrowly avoided being shot by a rampaging gunman. But only hours later, inspecting the books he'd checked out, did the student realize just how narrow his escape was.

Jason Derfuss, an undeclared major with an interest in film and writing, related his near miss at the Strozier Library to friends and followers on Facebook this morning, complete with harrowing photos of an ammunition slug and the holes it punched in his backpack and books:

Earlier tonight there was a shooting at FSU, right as I was leaving Strozier. I didn't know this at the time, but the Shooter targeted me first. The shot I heard behind me I did not feel, nor did it hit me at all. He was about 5 feet from me, but he hit my books. Books one minute earlier I had checked out of the library, books that should not have stopped the bullet. But they did. I learned this about 3 hours after it happened, I never thought to check my bag. I assumed I wasn't a target, I assumed I was fine. The truth is I was almost killed tonight and God intervened.

The bullet passed through his backpack:

And through his books:

And ended up lodging harmlessly in his gear:

For his part, Derfuss attributed his fortune to divine intervention. "I know conceptually He can do all things, but to physically witness the impossible and to be surrounded by such grace is indescribable," he wrote. "To God be the glory, forever and ever, Amen."