Trauma surgeon describes femoral artery injury as Columbus officer recovers

Added: 2026-05-03

[00:00:00]Well, this is a live look tonight at Grant Medical Center where Columbus police officer is recovering after being shot last night. Thank you for joining us on 10TV News at 11 and on 10TV Plus.

[00:00:11]I'm Yolanda Harris.

[00:00:13]>> And I'm Jeff Hogan. It's been a day filled with questions after a chaotic and emotional night. The suspect in this shooting is dead and the officer needed hours of surgery. Here's what we know at this hour. Chief Elaine Bryant said a team of officers tried to stop a vehicle at Hamilton and Minnesota avenues last night. This is in the Linden area.

[00:00:31]Police say the suspect, who is a man, drove away from officers. Officers then minutes later tracked down that man south of there near East 16th and Hamilton streets. That's where police say the shooting happened. And today the crime scene was still up as an investigation is underway by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Now, we've asked but Columbus police have not yet released the suspect's name, the names of any of the officers involved, or what led to the attempted traffic stop last night. Though we did learn the stop was not in response to a 911 call.

[00:01:04]10TV has requested all of that information as well as body worn camera video and we're waiting for a response from police.

[00:01:11]>> Now, for context as we follow this story closely, it's been almost 3 years since a CPD officer was hit in a shooting. One thing we did learn today was just how serious the injuries were to the Columbus police officer. Union President Brian Steel told us today that officer was shot twice in the leg including in the femoral artery and that officer then returned fire after being shot. 10TV's Libby Caffey spoke to the director of trauma at Grant Medical Center where that officer is still recovering and she asked the experts about just how severe that type of injury can be to the femoral artery, Libby.

[00:01:46]That's right, Jeff. I spoke to a Dr. Pandya who said that he couldn't talk specifically about this officer's injury here, but typically an injury to the femoral artery is life-threatening. And of course, Brian Steel, as you said, told us that officers on the scene helped rendered aid that would ultimately help doctors here to save the officer's life.

[00:02:09]They absolutely saved his life. Tonight, Columbus police say an officer shot twice in Linden after an attempted traffic stop is recovering from his injuries. Hit him in both legs. One low in the leg, one high in the leg. A femoral artery was hit, you're talking massive blood loss. Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 9 President Brian Steel credits fellow cops on the scene with saving that officer's life.

[00:02:34]The only reason our officer is alive is because they rendered aid, they applied tourniquets, and they immediately transported that officer straight to the hospital. Saw the massive blood loss, they said every second counts, we're going to carry him in. They literally scooped him up, threw him in the cruiser, transported him to Grant. Dr. Ermal Pandya, director of trauma at Ohio Health Grant Medical Center where that officer is being treated, says that kind of response is critical. An injury to the femoral artery, which supplies blood to the entire leg, is life-threatening.

[00:03:07]People can die if the bleeding's uncontrolled sometimes within minutes.

[00:03:11]He says for patients with this type of injury, doctors call it life over limb.

[00:03:16]The most important thing is to stop bleeding and prioritize life. Often times that hap- happens in the pre-hospital setting. So, we really rely on on EMS or sometimes um other departments at the scene to be able to control that bleeding.

[00:03:29]>> Wednesday night after the officer was carried into the ER, Steel says doctors spent hours in surgery. Great doctors, they reconnected the artery almost instantly blood started flowing and uh and he he got his color back. He started to come back.

[00:03:46]And Jeff, Yolanda, as you note, that officer continues to recover here at Grant behind me.

[00:03:53]Thank you. Uh do we know anything more about the road to recovery this officer has ahead?

[00:03:59]Yes, Yolanda, I asked uh Dr. Pandya about this specifically and again, couldn't talk about this officer but said typically in this type of injury, someone is in the hospital for several days and then pending no complications or infections, once they're home, still two to three months until full recovery.