Two Maryland sheriff's officers are heading back to duty after they were wounded in a shootout and standoff during a mental health call nine months ago.
Charles County Sheriff's Patrolman First Class Andrew Fenlon and Officer Bradley Harris were responding to a call on May 17 at a home in Waldorf concerning a man with an outstanding warrant, WTTG-TV reports. What officers and the man's family didn't know is that the suspect also had a "ghost gun."
"Everyone knew that he had a long history of mental illness, but no one knew he was in possession of a handgun," Charles County Sheriff Troy Berry said.
When the officers reached the man's room, the suspect opened fire. The gunfire struck both officers.
"Once I actually got in the room, I hit the floor," Harris, who had only been with the agency for three months, told WTTG. "I couldn’t hear anything. The ringing in my ears had me in somewhat of shock from it all."
Harris was shot twice in the leg, breaking his tibia. Fenlon, an 11-year veteran was struck in the arm and his ballistic vest.
"I went into an office next to his room and returned fire, and I feel like I knew I was hit, but didn’t have any feeling in it yet."
Eventually, Fenlon was able to escape the house. In a desperate scramble to get out of harm's way, Harris jumped out a second-story window and was caught by an officer on the ground.
"I remember being so dehydrated just thinking at some point I may pass out," Harris said. "And thinking of my mom and my family."
After the officers were out the way, a standoff ensued. Once authorities entered the house again, they found the suspect dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Following months of recovery, both officers say they are ready to return to work. Fenlon was back on the job last week, even though he still has lasting effects from the shooting.
"I don’t have any feeling in a large portion of my hand, my fingers," he said. "It hit a nerve, so they had to take some nerve from my leg and put it in my arm, and they had to rebuild an elbow from a cadaver. My forearm bone was replaced with a bolt."
Harris plans to return to work in March. It's a return he's eagerly awaiting.
"I absolutely can’t wait," he said.
For Fenlon, the injuries aren't the only reminders of that bloody incident. Because his bulletproof vest saved his life, he got a tattoo near the scar that says, ‘Point Blank Body Armor’ and ‘Wear It For Life.’
Fenlon attended the Point Blank Saves recognition event, held annually by Point Blank Enterprises, this past December
