By Police1 Staff
SANTA FE, Texas — A school resource officer’s condition is improving after he was critically wounded while confronting a gunman during the shooting at Santa Fe High School.
On Monday, officials at a Texas hospital said 49-year-old SRO John Barnes’ condition was upgraded to “serious,” the Houston Chronicle reports. Barnes was critically wounded in the May 18 shooting that killed 10 people.
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Barnes, a retired Houston PD officer who joined the Santa Fe ISD PD in January, was hit by a shotgun blast while he confronted the gunman. The officer was reportedly shot in the elbow, which caused massive bleeding that nearly killed him.
Friends and family of Barnes told the Chronicle that the officer’s heart stopped once while en route to the hospital and once during surgery. Since coming out of surgery, Barnes has shaken his head when responding to questions, lifted his arms and wiggled some fingers.
The officer has been praised for confronting the gunman, with many calling him a hero. Barnes’ wife, Ashley, said the officer’s actions weren’t any different from his previous years in law enforcement.
“John has been a hero every day he put on a police uniform,” she said.
Officials said Barnes remains in the intensive care unit.