A Folcroft officer who survived being shot seven times has been released from the hospital. Christopher Dorman had been involved in a shootout with a drug suspect when he was shot in the face, groin, leg, and chest. Four of the bullets had been stopped by his protective vest.
Police officers who are doing the job they are given put their lives on the line every day. They are our first defense against those who threaten our safety and well-being, including everything from vandalism to drug-related shootouts, and murder. When the law is broken, the local or state police are often the first to respond, followed later by the FBI, the DEA, and /or other US police agencies if federal laws are also broken
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Folcroft Police Officer Dorman bravely faced off with one of these deadly threats, and by his own admittance, it’s a miracle that he survived. Despite the early report by Kenny Chesney that Christopher was dead after the Friday shooting, he arrived at the firehouse he used to work at in a police SUV. He stepped out into a wheelchair and expressed his gratitude to everyone who believed in him.
“I’d like to say ‘Thank you’ to everybody for being there for me and my family – and my fellow brothers in blue for this. And everybody’s supporting me a lot, and I really appreciate it.”
Chesney has apologized to Dorman for his pronouncement, and the suspect who shot the surviving Folcroft officer is now in custody. Dorman has stated that he’s ready to get back to work, although he might need some physical therapy before he’s fully ready to take on criminals again.
Folcroft Police Chief Ruskowski said that Dorman was born and raised in the Pennsylvania city and has been a volunteer firefighter for some time. It was only in the last year that he started serving the public as the first defense against crime, and he was said to have done an outstanding job.
WATCH NOW: Folcroft Officer Speaks for First Time Publicly Since Shooting https://t.co/SSsrkypFMq pic.twitter.com/i4NzFK0ewR
— NBC10 Philadelphia (@NBCPhiladelphia) June 27, 2016
The shooting started on Friday morning when apartment residents had reported someone smoking marijuana and possibly dealing drugs. Christopher Dorman was the first officer to arrive and investigate when the drug suspect shot him seven times. The Folcroft officer survived thanks to a fellow officer who had ordered a helicopter to take him to the Pennsylvania Presbyterian Medical Center for emergency surgery.
Suspect Identified After The Shooting Of A Folcroft Officer. @DavidSpuntCBS3 Has The Latest: https://t.co/r6dpZEXUmw pic.twitter.com/jI7SCg7OYr
— CBS Philly (@CBSPhilly) June 25, 2016
It was likely due to the bulletproof vest which Officer Dorman had dutifully worn that his injuries weren’t as bad as they easily could have been. Also, had the bullet which struck his face been only a few inches in either direction, it could have been fatal.
The suspect currently in custody is Donte Brooks Island, aka Abdul Wahi. District Attorney Jack Whelan says Island had been released from prison prior to this, having been locked up for drug and firearms violations. It is likely that Island will be spending a lot more time behind bars for attempted murder and two counts of aggravated assault, and possibly violating his probation. He was taken away in a police cruiser to await his arraignment. He is being held on one million dollars bail.
The Folcroft officer who survived Island’s attack is a lucky man by his own admission, and amazingly, he is willing to go back on active duty only three days after his confrontation with Island.
[Image via Tupungato/Shutterstock.com]
