New Details About Police Shootout Emerge As Fort Worth Officer Improves
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FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - Fort Worth Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald says Officer Matthew Pearce remains in critical condition in ICU in a medically-induced coma but hospital staff are optimistic.
He says doctors are contemplating waking Pearce up soon which is a good sign.
"He's the right guy in this battle. He's fighting,"says Chief Fitzgerald. "When we brought him in I mentioned the other day that uh, he was active, talking and fighting and that fight is being epitomized right now."
The Police Chief also says the public's support has been "phenomenal."
On Officer Pearce's wife, Fitzgerald says, "She has been by his side. She's been awake longer than I could ever stay awake. It's just been such a supportive atmosphere for her. I just brought her emails we've received at the department in support of him, and she was touched by it."
Pearce was shot on Tuesday while pursuing Ed McIver Sr. who was killed in a shootout with police, and his son, Ed McIver, Jr. who's now charged with attempted capital murder.
Police say McIver Sr. shot Officer Pearce, but they're waiting for ballistics tests to determine if McIver, Jr. did, too.
In a new detail, police say a sergeant fired the shots that killed McIver Sr. from 275 feet away.
Chief Fitzgerald says even after officer Pearce was shot multiple times, he was able to guide his fellow officers on how to treat him until paramedics airlifted him to JPS Hospital in Fort Worth.
Police say they continue to appreciate the support they've received not only from people in North Texas, but all across the country as well.
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