'Today Is A Joyous Day': Sgt. Isaac Carrington Released From Shock Trauma
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Baltimore Police Department Sergeant Isaac Carrington was released from the hospital Wednesday after being shot earlier this month.
Members of the city's police and fire departments formed a ceremonial gauntlet outside the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center's ambulance bay entrance as Carrington was loaded into an ambulance and taken home.
More than 100 people lined up to wish Sgt. Carrington well.
Sgt. Carrington was shot two weeks ago during an attempted armed robbery outside his home.
"We're glad that this day is here where he can go home," Mayor Bernard C. "Jack" Young said moments after Carrington's release from the hospital. "He's not out of the woods yet but we're praying and asking God to really give him a full recovery and we're asking everybody else to do the same.
Police Commissioner Michael Harrison and Dr. Thomas Scalea, the physician-in-chief at Shock Trauma, echoed the mayor's comments, emphasizing Carrington has a long recovery process ahead of him.
"We are all somewhat relieved," Harrison said. "But certainly, Sgt. Carrington has a long way to go for a full recovery, but we are prayerful and hopeful that he will make a full recovery."
"This is not him making his full recovery, this is not him going back to work, this is one step in a journey that will take more than a few more weeks, but we got him here so he can do that," Scalea said.
Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski congratulated the sergeant on his release as well.
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A woman who lost her son to violence earlier this year also decided to congratulate Sgt. Carrington. She waited and cheered for the Baltimore Police Sgt. whom she has never met.
"You always hear a whole lot of negative things," LaJuan Robinson said. "So when something positive happens and it's a good outcome, I just wanted to see it for myself."
Last week, Carrington pledged in a video message he would return to the force soon.
"I'm 10-8. I'll be back," he said, referencing a police code for an in-service officer.
Police haven't made any arrests in connection with the shooting, but they are continuing to investigate.
"We still need the community's help identifying who may have done this," Harrison said. "Though we are working around-the-clock to solve this, we always ask for community support."
There is now a $19,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest in the case. Police want you to call them immediately if you know anything.