NORTH CANTON, Ohio — As a nine-year veteran of the North Canton Police Department and a sniper on the Canton Regional SWAT Team, Officer Patrick Lewis understands the risks of the job.
Asked how often he worries about his safety, Lewis responded, "All the time. Whenever we're out there, we do worry about our safety the whole entire time and the safety of others as well."
That danger played out in real-time on Nov. 18 in Jackson Township outside of the Rodeway Inn on Sunset Strip Avenue NW.
RELATED: U.S. Marshals: Fugitive fatally shot by police during standoff in Jackson Township
A wanted fugitive, 68-year-old James Vanest, fired shots at members of the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force and then barricaded himself inside a motel room.
The SWAT team was activated and responded to the scene with Lewis operating as a shield operator.
"I was in my sniper position. I was behind a vehicle attempting to search for him through my optic, a very high-powered optic on my rifle," Lewis said.
A short time later, there was more gunfire, and Lewis was struck in his right arm— his shooting arm. Other officers returned fire, killing Vanest.
"He saw me. I could not see him and he fired the gunshot and the pain was instantaneous," Lewis recalled.
The bullet went into the officer's forearm and exited out of his triceps. Tendons in his wrist were detached, but remarkably, no bones or muscles were damaged, Lewis said.
In the chaotic moments that followed, blood covered Lewis's badge and his life was hanging in the balance.
"I was bleeding bad and I don't know how long I would have been able to sit there," Lewis said.
Two Canton officers, who are also on the SWAT team, applied two tourniquets to Lewis's arm to stop the bleeding. Lewis credits those fellow officers for saving his life.
"They were right there. It was half a second. I didn't even have time to think. As soon as I sat down, they were right there," Lewis said.
Canton Police Chief John Gabbard said SWAT teams demonstrate their dedication to training and community service in difficult situations.
"In this instance, I am grateful for their training, but more than that, very proud that our officers reacted with selfless courage to aid Officer Lewis. I am thankful more officers were not injured and pray for Officer Lewis during his recovery," Gabbard said.
A month later, North Canton Police Chief Frank Kemp remains emotional when he reflects on that day.
"I think of a phrase that comes to mind right now: But for the Grace of God I go," Kemp said. "I do get a little choked up talking about it because the last thing that I would have wanted to see was a different outcome then what I had."
Lewis had surgery to reattach the damaged tendons following the shooting. Since then, he has had two additional surgeries and expects that he will have two more.
He's working with physical and occupational therapists to get his movement and strength back.
"As of right now, my road to recovery is just getting my wrist in full motion, working on my fingers and stretching out my elbow," Lewis said.
Lewis expects to be back to light duty in a few months and will be on full duty by next summer. His timeline to return to the SWAT team as a sniper is uncertain, but he's confident that he'll be back.
The emotional end of surviving the shooting is also challenging for the officer, his girlfriend and his family. He's planning to get counseling.
"It's definitely something that I think about daily," he said.
In the meantime, he considers himself lucky to be alive, stressing that if the bullet was a few inches to the left, it would have hit his torso, or if it traveled a foot higher, he could have been shot in the head.
"Getting shot isn't lucky, but it definitely was a lucky shot."
