A 19-year-old Oak Ridge man was dropped off at Methodist Medical Center with a gunshot wound Friday night, Feb. 26, 2016, and flown to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville by a UT Lifestar medical helicopter, authorities said. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
Note: This story was last updated at 3:25 p.m. Feb. 29.
The 19-year-old Oak Ridge man flown to the University of Tennessee Medical Center with a gunshot wound on Friday night is in stable condition, the hospital said Monday afternoon.
Elijah Malik McDowell was driven to Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge around 8:20 p.m. Friday because of injuries to his thigh, groin, and abdomen, the Oak Ridge Police Department said. He was dropped off at the hospital by a friend who left before police arrived, authorities said.
He was airlifted to the UT Medical Center in Knoxville about an hour later by a UT Lifestar helicopter, the ORPD said.
Police said McDowell did not provide details about being shot other than that it occurred in a neighborhood in Oak Ridge.
The Oak Ridge Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division is investigating the incident.
McDowell was the subject of a large, lengthy police chase in December that involved more than 30 officers and deputies and a Knox County Sheriff’s Office helicopter. In that December 15 incident, police allege that McDowell fled as they tried to arrest him after he was questioned about a car stolen from Nashville. Police spent more than two hours searching for him by foot, car, and helicopter. The Oak Ridge Preschool was briefly locked down during the search, and McDowell was tracked for more than four miles on foot before being captured at Cedar Hill Park near Michigan Avenue and Outer Drive in north-central Oak Ridge, police said at the time.
One Oak Ridge Police Department officer sustained non-life threatening injuries while chasing McDowell into Cedar Hill Park, and McDowell faced a number of charges including property theft, assault, resisting arrest, evading arrest, and probation violation, authorities said at the time.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
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Kay Williamson says
you have to wonder why this guy was not still sitting in Jail!
Raymond Charles Kircher says
I couldn’t wonder any less about that. If you look closely at John’s news, the shooter is still loose, even after spending all those tax dollars for a better justice system. We have more elected and hired officials to ask for more tax dollars to buy a fad. The Revolving Door is a money maker. No, I don’t wonder at all.
johnhuotari says
Kay, it looks like he was released Feb. 12, presumably on bond.
Angi Agle says
Hopefully, the injuries are enough to keep him subdued until he comes to trial on the previous charges.
Tracy Powers says
The life star bill alone to his family will be between $26,000-28,000, that is if everything is fair. I’m sure they will see to it that it will be paid, by them, on a timely basis…..
As for this character being let out on bond, we clearly need to tighten up on the laws for who is eligible. He has already cost this city far more than he will likely EVER be able to pay back. Our police have put their lives in jeopardy dealing with this thug, this cat had an entire neighborhood locked down in December. He needs more than a few hours in jail and the shooter needs target practice.
I wish these judges and the DA’s office were as fed up with these thugs as citizens were
Raymond Charles Kircher says
The lifestar bill will be between $13K – $15K for lift-off and $150 per mile. Medicare pays for 80% the patient pays 20%. And the bill won’t be paid by the patient. The service and the hospital is out for that money. How does one get a rock to pay, is the answer I’m waiting for.
Communities in lockdown don’t mean anything to elected officials, facts and real police work, our elected and hired officials who are overpaid to provide what we have for a service is what gets criminals out of here. The problem with your direction Tracy Powers, it isn’t realistic. How are judges and da’s fed up when they get their cash guns cars and any property in the suspect’s name when the suspect is arrested? They are getting paid by confiscated property and then we pay them for this kind of service. Start fighting the power that has bred this into our community, the police chief, the city manager, and every one of those council members in the municipal building that will be bankrupt very soon. Then we can lose the city tax portion of our property and have the county come in here and clean up, starting with the city boards. The Bladwin’s and Lem’s are not a gleaming spotlight of leadership. They are the train that is running us over while allowing the elected leadership to enact private property confiscation. #BlackLIvesMatter So why isn’t the people in charge protecting them? This story is just one of many showing the favoritism this city has.