Senior Agent Tyler Wheeler, 25, of Monroe, was shot a total of five times on January 7th and, miraculously was released from the LSU Health Shreveport Trauma Center last week.
The incident, which took place during a routine motor vehicle stop, was a near death experience for the officer who is now talking and walking with assistance. Immediately after his hospital discharge, the young man has enlisted in a facility located in Mississippi for further rehabilitation.
“His spirits are high,” Tyler’s father Darren Wheeler said. “This is amazing.”
Col. Joey Broussard, head of the LDWF Enforcement Division, said he and his department are elated by Wheeler’s improvement.
“His Wildlife and Fisheries family is very encouraged by Tyler’s progress to date,” Broussard said. “Everything we’ve been told is that it is a miracle that he survived this cowardly attack and that the doctors are very hopeful he can make a full recovery.”
When it was all said and done, officer Wheeler took shots to the temple, jaw, shoulder, arm and back while wearing his department-issued body armor vest.
The day following the incident, Louisiana State Police Detectives arrested two men in conjunction with the incident. Amethyst Baird, 31, of Monroe was arrested on one count of attempted first-degree murder of a police officer and Jeremy Gullette, 34, of Monroe on one count of accessory after the fact to attempted first-degree murder.
