What we know about the conditions of the Mifflin Township officers who were shot
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Two Mifflin Township police officers were shot while conducting a traffic stop on Wednesday night on the northeast side, just outside of Columbus city limits.
The officers were both rushed to the hospital. One was released from the hospital just a day after the shooting while the other has a long road to recovery.
“When bullets hit your body, it's not like the movies. A bullet hits your body and it completely destroys anything in its path,” Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #9 President Brian Steel said.
One officer was shot in the arm and released from Grant Medical Center on Thursday, according to Steel. That officer will have to return to get surgery, but Steel said he is eager to get back to work.
He said this shows the dedication of police officers, even after getting shot.
“The officers that were shot, they knew what they were doing. They knew there was a danger,” Steel said. “They do that because the community is worth it and that's why they signed up for it.”
The other officer was brought to Grant in critical condition, but Steel said he was changed to stable.
“He’s alive by the grace of God, by the aid that was rendered by the medical staff at Grant. He is still with us. He's got a long road,” Steel said. “I just ask your viewers to continue to pray for him. He is fighting.”
Police officers from multiple jurisdictions were in and out of Grant Medical center on both Wednesday and Thursday.
Mifflin Township Police Chief David Briggs said Columbus police and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office have been a great help during this tough time.
“They had two officers outside their rooms at all times. They had several officers downstairs in the lobby outside the emergency room everywhere to escort family and friends to where they needed to go. It was overwhelming support,” Briggs said.
Steel said right now, the officers and their families need to focus on rest and recovery.
“You have emotional injuries you're going to have from these events. You're going to have physical injuries,” Steel said. “Time will tell for both of them.”