Associated Press
DUNMORE, Pa. — A Pennsylvania trooper wounded in a deadly ambush outside his barracks last fall says he hopes to eventually return to the state police force.
Trooper Alex Douglass, wounded in the Sept. 12 shooting outside the Blooming Grove barracks that killed Cpl. Bryon Dickson, made his first public remarks Saturday as the borough of Dunmore named a road near the community center after Dickson.
“It’s an honor being here today,” Douglass said. “The community did a wonderful thing for Cpl. Dickson’s family and the state police as a whole.”
After a 48-day manhunt in the Pocono Mountains, police arrested survivalist Eric Frein, 31. He has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, terrorism and other charges, for which prosecutors say they plan to seek the death penalty.
Douglass, who walked with a cane, told reporters Saturday that he feels good and no longer needs crutches to get around. He said he has had 16 surgeries with one more scheduled next month, and “hopefully that will be it.”
He also said he wanted to thank the community for their support, which he credited with helping him through the operations and his overall recovery.
“There were times when I was down and reading everyone’s Facebook posts and getting everyone’s cards and support — it was just amazing and really helped me get along,” he said.
Douglass said he hopes to start exercising and running again and “getting back to everyday life.” He believes he will eventually be able to go back to being a state trooper.
“I would love to go back and do the same job that I was doing,” he said. “It would be an honor to go back.”
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press