Condition of Shot Officer Unchanged

While cards, letters and flowers continued to pour in Monday to Providence Holy Cross Medical Center, CHP Officer Rafael “Ralph” Casillas remained in critical condition in the intensive care ward.

California Highway Patrol and hospital officials stressed that Casillas’ condition hasn’t improved significantly since he was shot last week by an ex-convict who refused to pull over.

“We still have a long way to go,” said CHP Deputy Chief Edward Gomez, who visited Casillas on Monday morning. “I’m still real worried about Rafael . . . When I saw him today, I didn’t feel much better. His responses are minimal. He’s just trying to survive.”

Casillas, 31, who underwent a second surgery Friday evening, was shot in the abdomen, wrist and thigh by Terry James Parker, a 25-year-old who led the CHP officers on a short pursuit before shooting himself and then being shot by police.

Parker, who had a lengthy criminal past, died from multiple gunshot wounds after he fled through his Granada Hills neighborhood and hid in bushes on Rinaldi Street. Los Angeles police officers heard the gunshot when Parker turned his gun on himself, assumed they were being fired upon and shot Parker to death.

Casillas, meanwhile, remains surrounded by family and friends and even a few high-profile well-wishers. Cardinal Roger M. Mahony has visited, and today, top CHP officials will fly in from Sacramento to see him and his family. Friends, including CHP and LAPD officers both on- and off-duty, have streamed into the hospital as well.