6 days ago
Local trauma surgeon weighs in on recovery process for gunshot victims following two Officers shot
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A local trauma surgeon explains how damaging a shooting injury can be following two Mifflin Township Officers being shot on duty.
Two Mifflin Township police officers are now recovering from their injuries after a shooting incident Wednesday night. One was shot in the arm and is recovering at home, but the other still has a long road ahead of him after being shot multiple times.
Gunshot wounds like the ones officers sustained can be very damaging.
Dr. Keshav Deshpande is a trauma surgeon at Grant Medical Center, where many gunshot victims are treated.
He did not talk specifically about the Mifflin Township shooting, but he said treating gunshot wounds of any kind is typically difficult.
While a bullet is small, it can destroy almost anything in its path.
'That damage can really create cavitations in the body that are much bigger than the bullet itself. And also, when the bullet goes into the body, it can break apart, and that shrapnel can really go in different directions, causing injuries to multiple organs,' said Dr. Deshpande.
The surgeon said treating any kind of gunshot wound is anxiety-inducing.
Usually, he said, the hospital staff doesn't know who they are treating.
But Dr. Deshpande said he has treated law enforcement in the past.
'By the time they get through our doors, most often, we don't know who they are, whether they were the good guy, the bad guy, just an innocent person,' said Dr. Deshpande. 'Sometimes we don't know that they're a police officer, and so we try to treat everybody the same.'
Dr. Deshpande said knowing he is helping a police officer can weigh heavily because it means something happened in the community, but his focus is on getting each patient healed.
'It can be a long road to recovery from all aspects, from a holistic aspect, a physical aspect, the whole gamut,' said the surgeon.
While Dr. Deshpande didn't talk about the Mifflin Township officers' injuries, local Fraternal Order of Police president Brian Steel said the officer who was shot multiple times just had a lengthy surgery and is in the ICU at Grant.
'This is a couple-week process, and right now we're just hoping there's no kind of infection or blood clot or anything that sets in,' said Steel.
Both officers were wearing bulletproof vests, but Steel said there are still areas where a bullet can get through, which is how the officer was injured so severely.
'So he is stable by the great work and the grace of God and the hospital medical staff. He's on the road to recovery. Just keep your thoughts and prayers for him,' said Steel.
Both officers will be off work while they rest and recover.
While they will still get paid their salary, the cost of recovery will be a financial burden. Steel said the FOP will have a fundraiser in the near future for the officers and their families.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
