Wounded Officer Improving, but Condition Is Still Critical

Montclair Police Det. Amy Nelson showed signs of improvement Friday but remained in critical condition with a gunshot wound to her head suffered at a law enforcement firing range.

“The neurosurgeon attending to Det. Nelson reports she exhibits several excellent signs,” Montclair Capt. Kevin Piper said. “She responded to a request to open her eyes and is responsive to touch.”

Nelson, 43, the mother of three, underwent surgery at Loma Linda University Medical Center to remove bullet fragments from her brain.

Meanwhile, police said the 10-year veteran had been closer to the target than first reported, increasing the chances that she fell victim to a ricocheting bullet.

Nelson was firing her .45-caliber, semiautomatic handgun Wednesday night seven yards from the target with a dirt berm 10 yards behind it when the accident occurred, Piper said. Initial reports said Nelson was shooting from 10 to 25 yards away.

Piper said Nelson was following the regular training routine at the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department’s shooting range, below the Cajon Pass in Devore.

Like most departments, he said, Montclair police train for realistic situations, shooting at night and at close range. FBI statistics show that most officer-involved shootings occur within seven yards or less, he said.

Piper said the bullet could have ricocheted off the berm, a nearby concrete walkway or even the angle iron target frame that is designed to avoid such bounce-backs.

San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department spokesman Jim Bryant said it was too early in the investigation to draw any conclusions.