CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — The Ross County deputy who was shot in the line of duty earlier this month has been moved from critical to stable.
Sergeant Eric Kocheran was ambushed on November 17 outside of the county Sheriff’s office by a gunman. Kocheran was shot once in the chest, grazing his heart, collapsing his lung, and lodging a bullet in his liver. He was flown to Grant Medical Center in Columbus in life-threatening condition and since undergone several surgeries.
On Saturday — a little over a week since the shooting — Kocheran was removed from the critical list and placed in stable condition. The sergeant and volunteer firefighter was giving two thumbs up and communicating with head nods with hospital staff and family.
Kocheran had used a lot of blood during his recovery, which has spawned several efforts in his honor.
“Eric is alert and oriented. He had to have two and a half times his blood volume replaced while in the hospital. He isn’t actively bleeding and hasn’t needed blood products since Tuesday. He thanks everyone for their generous donations with the Red Cross during the past week,” released a family spokesperson.
In the last week, the American Red Cross has held three local blood drives in the name of the injured deputy. Nearly 200 units of blood was donated by members of the community at drives in Chillicothe. A fourth drive is set for December 1.
