KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department celebrated a major milestone Thursday for an officer gravely wounded in a shooting.
The officer, a third-year officer who remains unidentified in honoring the family's request for privacy, returned home Thursday and will continue his recovery at a local outpatient rehabilitation center, according to release from KCPD.
"We couldn't be more grateful and humbled by the well wishes and prayers that have been answered for our department, our officer and his family," the police department said in a statement.
The shooting occurred about 4:30 p.m. on July 2 near East 31st Street and Van Brunt Boulevard.
Officers went to check on a man walking around threatening people with a gun, according to a department news release.
The suspect ran and the officers gave chase before he turned and opened fire on police, striking one officer in the head.
One bullet hit an officer in the head.
The shooter, later identified as 31-year-old Ky Johnson of Grandview, was shot and killed during the exchange.
The wounded officer was rushed to Truman Medical Center's Level I Trauma Center by his fellow officers, where a team of doctors and nurses were able to save the officer.
Dozens of officers and commanders kept watch inside and outside Truman Medical Center, while law enforcement from other cities — including Liberty, Gladstone and Riverside — took over KCPD's calls for service that day.
The officer remained in critical condition for several weeks and underwent additional procedures before he was discharged July 23 to an out-of-state rehabilitation hospital.
He's walking and talking on his own and getting stronger each day, police said.
The officer met with his critical care staff Thursday who are amazed at his recovery, police said.
His family released a statement Thursday thanking the police department, other police agencies, family, friends and many others: "Without God and everyone's support, he wouldn't be back here today. We are forever grateful to everyone who has been a part of his journey. We can't thank you enough."
The officer was the second KCPD officer wounded in a shooting that day.
