Days After Moving To Rehab Center And Weeks After Being Shot, Chicago Police Officer Carlos Yanez Jr. Speaks On Video To Honor Anniversary With Force
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Just days after he was transferred to a rehab center, we saw and heard Wednesday from Chicago Police Officer Carlos Yanez Jr. – who was shot and critically wounded in the same incident where his partner, Officer Ella French, was killed.
Yanez talked about his seven-year anniversary with the Chicago Police Department in a video released Wednesday.
"Happy anniversary – 25 August 2014 – seven years," Yanez said from his rehab center bed. "We did it."
Yanez is partially paralyzed and lost an eye. He was shot three times on Aug. 7 during a traffic stop at 63rd Street and Bell Avenue in West Englewood – an incident during which French, one of his two partners, was killed.
"A simple traffic stop turned into a tragedy," retired Chicago Police Officer Carlos Yanez Sr., the wounded officer's father, said last week at a vigil to Officer French, who was laid to rest on Thursday.
Officer Yanez was transferred from the hospital to a rehab facility on Monday.
With his recovery in mind, Officer Yanez's sister and sister-in-law set up a GoFundMe page. They speak of the need for his extensive therapy as he tries to overcome the paralysis that is affecting three of his limbs.
They also mention Yanez's son. The 3-year-old needs ongoing therapy after enduring multiple cranial surgeries for a condition with which he was born.
In just over a week, the GoFundMe Officer Yanez's family set up has surpassed its $250,000 goal, raising more than $307,000 as of Monday afternoon.
Meantime, two brothers, Emonte and Eric Morgan, have been charged in the shooting that killed French and wounded Yanez Jr., and are being held without bail.
Emonte Morgan, aka Monte Morgan, is charged with one count of first-degree murder of a peace officer, two counts of attempted first-degree murder of a peace officer, one count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, and one count of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.
His brother, Eric Morgan, is charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, and obstruction of justice.
Emonte Morgan was shot himself after he shot French and Yanez Jr., when their partner, Officer Joshua Blas, opened fire on him as he was trying to run away.