DALLAS — Dallas Police Officer Tyler Morris was shot on March 14 while trying to catch teenage robbery suspects.
He was shot in the hip and required surgery. Morris is now in a wheelchair and his road to recovery will be a long one.
On Friday fellow officers threw him a barbecue at the Dallas Police Association.
“They are here because he wears that uniform. They are here because he is one of their brothers in blue and here to support that,” said Officer Joe King
Officer Joe King works in the DPD wellness unit which helps officers cope with traumatic events.
”This officer is overcoming an injury on top of knowing he was involved in a shooting where he almost lost his life,” said King.
No one knows better what that feels like than Sgt. Ed Lujan who organized the barbecue.
In 2015, Lujan was run over by a suspect three times. He had a traumatic head wound, a broken neck, back, and legs.
”My head slammed against the windshield peeling back my scalp,” said Lujan.
That’s why he volunteers with the Assist Officer Foundation raising money to help officers who need assistance.
”You are going to be in the darkest of times and light and love is what will pull you out of it,” said Lujan.
Lujan hopes to raise $10,000 to help Officer Morris with medical expenses and has this word of advice for him.
”Never tap out. They teach you that in the academy from day one. You never give up even if you are losing the fight. You never give up,” said Lujan.
If you would like to donate you can go to atodallas.org.