An officer who was paralyzed in a shooting while trying to break up a fight at a bar in Beverly was released from a Chicago hospital Friday afternoon.
Chicago Police Officer Danny Golden was wheeled out of Advocate Christ Medical Center on a stretcher just after 2 p.m. Dozens of officers lined the route from the hospital doors to the ambulance he was lifted into, many clapping and cheering for him as bagpipes played in the background.
Golden, who was off-duty at the time, was shot on July 9, according to police. The bullet severed his spine, and he was paralyzed from the waist down. On Thursday, hundreds gathered at the Shrine Chapel at St. Rita, where Golden attended high school.
“Danny, we are with you. We are all with you,” one attendee said.
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Golden, who is still hospitalized for his injuries, sent a video message to those in attendance.
“I’m working hard to get back out there,” he said. “To my friends, my family, thanks for everything over the last few days.”
Meanwhile, fundraisers are being held to generate funds to help pay for medical bills and other items. A lemonade stand in Mount Greenwood raised more than $12,000 on Wednesday, and a GoFundMe has also raised thousands of dollars for Golden and his family.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady also sent Golden a message, thanking him for his service both as a police officer and as a retired military veteran.
Three men have been charged in the shooting. All three men are being held without bond in the case.
