By Police1 Staff
AMHERST, Ohio — A SWAT officer in Ohio was finally released from the hospital after being critically wounded during a standoff in May.
The Chronicle Telegram reported that Amherst Officer Gene Ptacek returned home Tuesday after eight weeks of healing and rehabilitation. Ptacek was escorted to his home by the township’s emergency services vehicle following his release.
On May 31, Ptacek, a member of the Lorain County SWAT team, was shot during a standoff at a home. The SWAT team and U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force were attempting to serve a felony arrest warrant on Martin Robinson, who barricaded himself inside the home.
Ptacek was rushed to a hospital after being critically injured. After hours of on-and-off negotiations, Robinson surrendered and was apprehended by police.
Amherst Councilman Brian Dembinski said he was happy to see Ptacek return home after spending weeks at the hospital.
“We are extremely proud of how Amherst was able to rally around this tragedy, from blood drives to fundraisers and everything in between, to support one of our own,” Dembinski said via Facebook. “His service to the community is deeply appreciated and I continue to wish for him to have a speedy recovery.”
Ptacek is a 17-year veteran of the Amherst PD and has served the countywide SWAT team for several years.