Critically injured Mount Vernon police officer showing signs of improvement, say doctors



SEATTLE – Mount Vernon officer Mike McClaughry, who was shot in the head while in the line of duty last week, is making small incremental improvements, said the doctor charged with his care.

“We want to see him get to the point of simple commands,” said Dr. Louis Kim, a UW professor of neurological surgery and chief of neurological surgery at Harborview Medical Center/UW Medicine.

The officer is listed as stable, but remains in the ICU at Harborview in critical condition. “We remain on a day by day basis, and unfortunately we cannot look much further than that,” said Dr. Kim.

Officer McClaughry’s daughter spoke during a press conference on Friday, thanking the community for their steadfast support. “We really didn’t know the impact in the community he had, until this,” said April McClaughry.

The 60-year-old officer was shot while responding to weapons offense call near Laventure Road in Mount Vernon.

The men responsible, said police, were holed up in a home. An hours long standoff ended with three people taken into custody and charged with attempted murder.

McClaughry was airlifted to Harborview and underwent emergency surgery.

“He was extremely dedicated and loyal,” Mount Vernon Police Department Lieutenant Chris Cammock. “That is what you saw that night that this happened, his dedication and his loyalty.”

This is not the first battle Officer McClaughry has fought, but it is his biggest.

“Just like my gut told me that I knew it was him when I heard an officer was down, my gut tells me that he is going to get through this and wake up and come home,” said April McClaughry.

Hundreds of letters of support have come in for McClaughry, the family said they are helping them get through this difficult time.

If you would like to send a letter you do so by mailing it to Harborview Medical Center, C/O Officer Mike McClaughry or to Mount Vernon Police Headquarters.