Chapter 7 -- Major Life Events
Tyler was busy finishing his dissertation so he could file it with his department to get set up for graduation. Once it's accepted, then he will be defending it. Tyler didn't know what to do for Shawn during this time. At least Mike, Laura, and Rose came around, their relationship wasn't like it used to be, but it was coming back.
Tyler had been staying late at the university, confirming everything was in order on his dissertation. His defense date was set. His advisor told him to stop going over it. He knew everything and would be fine. Take a break between now and the defense.
On the day of the defense, Tyler was nervous. Shawn told him he would be there for him even though he was at work. He would take his lunch at that time and come. Tyler sat in the auditorium, waiting for his turn to come. There were quite a few people from the university there. Even Dawn was in the audience. When it came Tyler's turn, he stood up and walked over to be in front of the committee.
Shawn was not in the audience when he looked around before he started. He explained his research and what he did with it. The committee asked questions that seemed to be the standard bunch of questions they ask everyone. When he finished, he hoped that Shawn had slipped in, but he scanned the room again, and still no Shawn. He was the last defense of the day, so he talked with Dawn and asked her if she had heard from Shawn, and she hadn't. They still weren't talking, but he hoped he would have called someone to tell them he would be late. When Dawn and Tyler stepped into the hallway, they found out where Shawn was.
On the TV in the hallway, there was a crowd around it. The headline read an officer shot, and the suspects are in custody. Before Tyler and Dawn could wonder what officer it was, there stood two police officers being pointed in their direction. "Tyler Stevens? Dawn Mason?"
"Yes." Both Dawn and Tyler said at the same time.
"We need you two to come with us."
"What's going on?" Dawn asked.
"Mrs., we were asked to pick up Mr. Stevens and you."
"And take us where?" Tyler asked.
"To the hospital, Sir." The officer didn't want to tell that piece of information just yet.
"Shawn was the...."
"Yes, Sir, if we could take you there, please."
They went willingly as soon as they heard that Shawn was shot. When they were in the patrol car, they started asking questions, and both officers just stated that they didn't know the full details. They could tell them that he was shot and is in surgery. They have already picked up or contacted Shawn's father, who asked for them to be picked up.
When they arrived at the hospital, Dean was waiting for them at the ambulance entrance with another cop. Tyler recognized him as the guy from Shawn's house, Jack. Tyler didn't even look at Dean. He spoke right to Jack. "Jack, what happened, and where is he?"
"Tyler, he pulled over the wrong people, called it in, and another unit was on their way because it's protocol. He approached them to ask for their information, and they shot him."
"But he wears a vest."
"Yeah, we all do. But just because we are, doesn't mean the person can't shoot you somewhere else." Tyler was immediately thinking about the head, and Jack realized it as soon as he said that. "No, Tyler, he wasn't shot in the head. The vest protects our chest and heart. But most criminals know this and try to shoot somewhere else."
They were walking at this point towards the surgical waiting room. "Okay, so where?" Tyler wasn't expecting what he saw when he walked in. There were so many police officers sitting or standing talking to one another. "Oh, my God."
"We are a family. When one of us goes down, we all come together."
Tyler saw all the guys at Shawn's house that morning: Charlie, Jeff, and Gary. There were a few more that he forgot their names. There were so many people, and Mike, Laura, and Rose came over to be with Dawn, Dean, and Tyler.
"I will leave you for a bit. I'm going to see if there's an update," Jack stated as he was about to walk away.
"Jack, where was he shot?" Tyler asked, and all the officers looked at him.
"A few places." Jack looked at him. "They shot him first in the vest. At least we think it was first."
"A few? And they?" Tyler couldn't fathom that anyone would want to shoot a cop, he knows it happens, but he never thought it would happen this close to home.
"Yes, two gunmen in the car. They were ready for Shawn when he walked up to the car. I don't think the driver was prepared to have his eardrum blown, and that is the only reason we caught them." Jack responded. "They shot him 4 times, shoulder, dead center in the vest and the leg."
"The video from his unit shows that Shawn drew his weapon after being shot in the leg and chest. He had backed away. The second gunman had gotten out of the car. Shot a second time at the chest, which caused him to go down. The gunman rounded the car and fired the final shot in the shoulder. Shawn didn't have a chance, not even to retreat." Charlie added.
"Did Shawn fire at all?" Dawn asked.
"Yes, he got a round-off, but he had been thrown off balance. We train for this but don't shoot one another to know what it feels like to get shot." Jeff answered.
"What do you mean?" Tyler asked.
"Tyler, as much as you train for a possible gunman situation, you are never ready for it. I'm sure Shawn was in survival mode and would do anything to stay alive. Getting hit with a bullet point-blank in the vest once is a blow. He was shot in the vest and leg at about the same time. Then he tried to retreat and pull his gun, he shot at the second gunman and caught him in the shoulder too, but the gunman was already aiming for his vest again. When it hit, a second blow to his vest probably took the wind from him, as did the first time, but as I said, he was in survival mode after the first shots." Charlie continued. "The second blow to the vest took him down, we could see that in the video, and the last shot guaranteed he stayed down."
"We caught up with the gunmen just a few blocks away. The second unit was pulling up as Shawn went down, and they drew their guns, but they had jumped back in their car and sped off."
"They left him on the street?" Gary knew exactly what Tyler meant.
"My partner got out as I went after the gunmen," Gary responded.
Jack had walked away during this conversation to check Shawn's status. When he walked back, he brought a doctor with him. "Mr. Michaels?" The doctor asked.
"It's actually Taylor, Michael Taylor." Shawn's father spoke up.
"Mr. Taylor, Shawn is out of surgery. He did lose a lot of blood at the scene, thank the young man that put pressure on Shawn's leg. He saved his life." The doctor was talking about Gary's partner. "We were able to repair the damage to his artery. The shoulder wound did shatter his collarbone, which the orthopedic surgeon could pin back together and place a rod. The rod will have to be removed at a later time."
