(La Porte County, IN) - A LaPorte County Police officer continues to show progress in his early recovery from three gunshots but his future could include a fight with paralysis.
Those are among the new details obtained from the case filed against the alleged gunman, Sharod Grafton, 22, of Chicago. Grafton is charged in LaPorte Superior Court 1 with Level 1 felony attempted murder, Level 5 felony battery and Level 6 felony auto theft.
According to the charging information filed with the court, a preliminary examination of Deputy Jon Samuelson indicated he suffered paralysis from the chest down from a bullet lodged in his spine.
Regardless, his uncle, Greg Samuelson, said it’s an “absolute miracle” his nephew survived and has made this much progress in his recovery from the May 22 shooting at Franciscan Health outside Michigan City.
Samuelson said his nephew is talking now and was paid a visit on his 34th birthday Monday from Bosco, a K-9 dog he handles for the sheriff’s office. The officer remains at Memorial Hospital in South Bend where his condition remained critical but stable. He said his nephew was also doing well enough to be taken outside this week to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air.
“We can feel the prayers. I can feel the prayers. I just know he’s in God’s hands and that God saved his life,” he said.
The charging information shows Dr. Scott Thompson, who operated on Samuelson, told investigators one of the bullets entered behind his left ear and while passing through the neck became lodged in the T-1 vertebrate in his upper spine. He also mentioned early signs of paralysis.
Nevertheless, Samuelson said his nephew is feeling things when touched in areas like his feet and will undergo further testing.
“It’s going to be a long road and they’re going to do the therapies. I’m sure Jon is going to recover. He’s a fighter,” he said.
Police said Samuelson about 6:30 a.m. was on duty and on his way to a training session when he stopped to help Grafton, who he believed was a stranded motorist in the area of Indiana 2 and 900 West near Westville. For unknown reasons, Grafton asked to be taken to the hospital.
Samuelson drove him to Franciscan Health and left him at the front desk of the emergency room.
He returned about a minute later when informed the vehicle Grafton was driving belonged to his mother, who reported the vehicle stolen to Chicago Police after her son took her keys at gunpoint earlier that morning, according to the charging information.
When Samuelson tried placing him in handcuffs, Grafton physically resisted and displayed a handgun, which he pointed at the officer, police said.
In response, Samuelson wrapped his arms around Grafton and they both fell to the floor. During the struggle, the officer trying to gain control of the gun and Grafton tumbled through an open door into a triage area of the hospital where Samuelson was shot in the shoulder, according to the charging information.
Police said a nurse heard the wounded Samuelson yell multiple times that he needed a security officer then two more shots were fired, including one to the neck delivered at point blank range. Surveillance video of the shooting reveals Grafton then stood over Samuelson lying motionless on the floor and pointed the gun directly at him.
No recoil of the gun was spotted in the video, but police later discovered the gun was not able to deliver a fourth shot from being jammed.
Surveillance video also shows Grafton attempting to enter the officer’s police vehicle but it was locked. He then took cover inside the open bed of a pick-up truck belonging to a hospital employee in the parking lot. Less than a minute later, Grafton took off running into a nearby wooded area where he was soon captured without further incident.
Samuelson, an 8th grade science teacher at LaPorte Middle School, said his nephew, a 12 year member of the sheriff’s office, was in great physical shape, taking part in marathons and other similar events.
He said his nephew always wanted to be a police officer since he was a child.
His father, Doug Samuelson, is a retired Michigan City Police officer, who was working security at the hospital when he was shot. His brother, Joshua, is an officer in downstate Zionsville.
His late grandfather, Gene Samuelson, was police chief in LaPorte during the 1990’s.
Ironically, perhaps, Samuelson’s great-grandfather, Thomas Ciecka, was a police officer in La Porte when he died nearly a year after one of his legs was mangled when hit by a vehicle while directing traffic in the early 1960’s.
Samuelson said his death was attributed to a blood clot that formed as a result of the collision.
Over $125,000 has been raised on a GoFundMe page to help Samuelson and his family during his recovery. There have been other fund raisers, including one at LaPorte Middle School that generated about $2,000.
“The support has been outstanding,” he said.
