Trooper shot in Montana last month continues recovery - East Idaho News
Montana

Trooper shot in Montana last month continues recovery

  Published at  | Updated at

HELENA, Montana — The Montana Highway Patrol trooper who was shot several times last month in Evaro is continuing his recovery in a Utah hospital.

Trooper Wade Palmer continues to receive medical treatment at University Hospital in Salt Lake City.

According to a news release, he is showing indications that he recognizes certain people and things. However, all of his interactions remain non-verbal.

Montana Department of Justice spokesman John Barnes states that Trooper Palmer continues to interact with hand gestures and facial expressions but the extent of how much he understands remains unknown at this time.

Trooper Palmer continues to undergo physical therapy to strengthen his left arm and leg and limited movement has been detected on his right side, according to Barnes.

The Stevensville, Montana resident is scheduled to have the wiring and screws from his reconstructive jaw surgery removed this week.

“The tasks that you or I take for granted have become much more significant for Wade,” said Colonel Tom Butler, chief of the Montana Highway Patrol. “His brain is becoming more aware of the sensory input and is relearning how to connect the dots, so to speak.”

RELATED: Montana Highway Patrol ‘overwhelmed’ by support for trooper shot near Missoula

Trooper Palmer was shot in the neck, face, and head, after locating the suspect involved in an earlier shooting that injured two and killed one in Missoula on March 15.

He was transported to Saint Patrick Hospital in critical condition and eventually flown to Salt Lake City.

The Montana Highway Patrol has created a webpage with information about the shooting.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2019 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.

SUBMIT A CORRECTION