Body Cam Video Of Officer Getting Shot Is "Compelling & Terrifying"
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FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - A Fort Worth police officer continues to recover after being shot in the line of duty Thursday night. Members of the Fort Worth Police Department explained Friday that it was a cutting edge medical kit that helped save his life.
During an afternoon press conference authorities confirmed Sergeant Shane Drake was out of surgery at Harris Methodist Hospital and doing better.
Corporal Tracey Knight said everyone with Fort Worth police is, "Hoping and praying for a full recovery."
As for the incident that ended with Sgt. Drake injured and a 40-year-old man dead, police explained that officers ended up going to a residence twice. "Officers arrived on call -- it was a panic alarm. They spoke to the homeowner," Knight said. "The homeowner said 'I don't know why the alarm is going off, everything appears to be fine.' They completed their investigation [and] checked to make sure everything seemed fine."
Cpl. Knight explained that there must have been some prior police contact at the house since an alert, warning that the location is possibly hazardous or dangerous, is sent to officers whenever they are dispatched to the residence. They wouldn't elaborate on what raised the red flag, but police say last night they didn't think they had cause for concern.
Knight said officers, "Entered the residence thinking it was a welfare check… helping a mom check on her adult son. So you go into that type of situation with a different mindset."
Upon return at least two officers, Sergeant Drake and another policeman wearing a body camera, entered the house. Cpl. Knight explained, "At the homeowner's request they attempted to make entry into the house, into the room of the house, and that's when, that's when shots rang out. And it was basically a gun battle."
There was gunfire exchanged between the officer's and King. From Cpl. Knight's details, the situation was tense. "Once the gun battle started Sgt. Drake was the first one shot. He took a round; he took two rounds actually and went down. Then the second officer that was wearing the camera began to return fire. As the officer returned fire he was screaming at other officers that were in the hallway to try and extract him from the location… to try and get Sgt. Drake out of the location while he's actually in a gun battle with the suspect in his room."
Officers returning fire shot and killed King.
Police say it was quick medical treatment that saved Sgt. Shane Drake's life. There are small, tactical medical kits that are carried by specially trained FWPD officers. It is the content of that kit that may have kept Sgt. Drake from bleeding to death in the hallway.
"The tactical medical kit has a gauze-like substance that has quick clot in it. Quick clot helps stop hemorrhaging," Knight said. "So, as I understand it that may have saved Sgt. Drake's life."
As of late Friday afternoon Sergeant Drake was stable and improving from gunshot wounds to the stomach.
As for the video captured by the officer's body cam Cpl. Knight said, "I can tell you that it is compelling and terrifying, and that officers handled themselves amazingly, absolutely amazingly! Their training kicked in. They did everything that they were supposed to do, not only tactically with their guns and engaging in a threat, in an active gun battle, but they also took care of the Sergeant that was on scene."
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