The family of a Las Vegas police officer who was shot during protests in the city following the death of George Floyd said he remained paralyzed and was relying on a ventilator to breathe.
“Shay is awake and seems to recognize his family members,” the family said in a statement provided to and shared by the police department. “We, as a family, want to say thank you Las Vegas for your continuing support of Shay.”
Officer Shay Mikalonis was shot in the back of the head during June 1 rioting on the Las Vegas strip following Floyd’s death, after a white police officer knelt on Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes during an arrest.
A 20-year-old, Edgar Samaniego, was arrested and charged with attempted murder, battery, and firearms charges in connection with Mikalonis’s shooting.
Scott Coffee, Samaniego’s state-appointed public defender, said his client planned to plead not guilty, according to local media reports.
Sharing with permission from Officer Mikalonis’s family. Since so many of our community is supporting Shay we wanted to provide an update as of June 12th, after the fundraiser held for him. He feels your prayers and positive thoughts. #PrayforShay pic.twitter.com/rpwaxMTCui
— LVMPD Dispatch (@lvmpd_dispatch) June 13, 2020
During the nationwide protests, several police officers in major cities have reported being assaulted, spit on, or having bricks thrown at them by demonstrators.
In St. Louis, David Dorn, a former police captain and African American man who was attempting to protect a pawnshop from looters, was shot and killed. In Oakland, a security guard at a federal building also died during a clash with protesters.
Local and federal officials have been prompted by Floyd’s killing to call for sweeping police reform, and several states have banned chokeholds or other violent measures used by police to restrain suspects.
Increased scrutiny on law enforcement practices has led some officers to resign en masse, fearing for their personal safety while doing their jobs.
Floyd’s death has also sparked demands from criminal justice activists that local and state governments “defund the police” or make other changes to training to address systemic racism and the mistreatment of minorities by law enforcement.
