‘It’s just amazing;’ Clearcreek Township officer released from rehab facility

CLEARCREEK TWP. — A Clearcreek Township officer shot in the line of duty was discharged from The Rehabilitation Institute of Ohio Saturday.

>>Clearcreek Twp. officer injured in shooting discharged from rehab facility today, chief says

Officer Eric Ney, a 14-year veteran of the force, was critically injured after being shot across the face July 12 while responding to a domestic violence incident in the 5900 block of State Route 48.

Ney walked out Saturday out of the rehab facility to cheers and applause from family, friends, and fellow officers, something he did not expect.

“I was just planning on coming out and going home today,” he said. “I didn’t expect any crowd at all.”

>> Previous Coverage: Clearcreek Twp. officer shot moved to rehabilitation facility, chief says

Caleb Schmidt, Executive Pastor at Vandalia Baptist Temple, told News Center 7′s Brandon Lewis it’s been an up and down time with a lot of sadness, uncertainty, but very hopeful.

Clearcreek Twp. officer injured in shooting discharged from rehab facility Photo by: Caleb Schmidt

“We right away, as a church, turned to the Lord and had a prayer service,” he said. “That’s where we anchored our hope, we knew that’s where Eric anchored his hope.”

Schmidt said he found out about the officer-involved shooting in Clearcreek Township from one of his staff members and they were not sure if Ney was working that night.

“We began right away to track things down,” he told Lewis. “My wife had missed a text from his wife that they were on the way to the hospital that he had been shot. That’s how we found out.”

Schmidt said the most worried he was about Officer Ney was initially when they found out he was shot in the head and Care Flighted to Miami Valley Hospital.

“I remember that was the scariest time,” he said. “Seeing him that first evening, not knowing what the outcome was going to be. We got to see the beginning all the way to the end, an absolute miracle.”

>>Previous Story: ‘Hard work ahead’ for Clearcreek Twp. officer shot; Second officer involved ID’d

Schmidt was there Saturday when Ney was discharged from the rehab facility.

He told Lewis it was a beautiful scene seeing police from multiple communities to welcome Ney out of the rehab facility.

“It was absolutely beautiful to witness,” he said. “On every side, a beautiful thing; the police community, the way they rally around and support each other, it’s just amazing, a beautiful thing.”

Clearcreek Township Police Chief John Terrill said Officer Ney has a long road to recovery with extensive therapy and surgeries in the future.

1 of 20