Wounded Officer’s Condition Improves

A North Hollywood Division police officer gravely wounded in a New Year’s Eve shootout was upgraded Monday afternoon from critical to serious condition, police and hospital officials said.

Officer Cynthia French, a 16-year LAPD veteran, was critically wounded late Thursday when she was hit under her bullet protection vest as she and other officers investigated a report of a man with a gun in the 10900 block of Bluffside Drive at 9:15 p.m.

After a running gun battle at a Studio City apartment complex, police killed James Travis McCracken, 32, who according to authorities donned a military-style helmet and was armed with two semiautomatic rifles and a semiautomatic handgun.

French, 40, who suffered wounds to her lungs and liver in the shooting, was rushed to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center. On Monday, her condition was upgraded from critical to serious, and she was transferred to USC University Hospital, officials said.

“We got word she is out of the intensive care unit and she’s getting better,” said LAPD spokesman Jason Lee. “Everyone is pulling for her.”

“We’re all pleased with her rapid recovery and we’re optimistic,” added Sgt. Kent Pollard of the North Hollywood Division. “This is something that’s not going to go away for a while.”