Exclusive: Folcroft police officer speaks on surviving 7 shots
FOLCROFT, Pa. (WPVI) -- Doctors call Officer Chris Dorman a miracle.
Shot seven times two week ago, he's talking and alive.
"Basic call for someone smoking marijuana in the back of an apartment building, just went to check it out," Dorman told Action News Thursday.
Dorman says he approached Donte Island in the back of an apartment just a block from the Folcroft Police Department.
He says almost immediately Island punched him, staggering him, and then opened fire, first hitting him in the face.
His wound gushing with blood, Dorman still managed to get on his radio and call for help.
The 25-year-old was able to get away down a breezeway thanks to his brother in blue Patrolman Dave DePietro who arrived in seconds and exchanged gunfire with Island.
"At that time he began firing at him and gave me a chance to retreat and get in Sgt. [William] Bair's car and get to the hospital," DePietro said.
His body riddled with bullets, Dorman didn't think about his injuries but rather his duty as an officer.
"Sgt. Bair just did an awesome job calming me down, just kept talking to me the whole time," Dorman said.
Police captured Island.
Dorman underwent several surgeries and within a couple of days was released to a police caravan and an outpouring of support from the Folcroft community.
Dorman is expected to make a full recovery, though he has several more surgeries to his face.
He doesn't look forward to those, but he does look forward to getting back on the job.
When? He doesn't know.
During a time when police are under scrutiny, Dorman loves being a cop despite the dangers.
He hopes a one thing to come out of this shooting is the public will gain a little more respect for police officers.
"Just realize how dangerous our jobs really are and something as simple as that can turn as bad as it did," Dorman said.
