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Posted by: kwflatbed

The Roanoke Times

ROANOKE, Va. — The Roanoke officer who was assaulted and left unconscious Saturday while attempting to arrest a suspect is paralyzed, a police spokeswoman said.
It is not known yet, though, if Officer Bryan Lawrence’s paralysis is permanent, said police spokeswoman Aisha Johnson.
“Time will tell,” she said. “It goes without saying that everybody is hoping for the best.”
Lawrence is being treated at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
He was working off-duty to provide security Saturday night when he heard on his radio that a woman had been hurt at the Go Mart in the 3500 block of Williamson Road Northwest, not far from where he was, his son, Robert Lawrence, has said.
Lawrence spotted the two suspects in a vehicle at the intersection of Huntington Boulevard and Hillcrest Avenue, police said.
He stopped the vehicle, and the suspects fled on foot.
Lawrence chased them and was in the process of apprehending one suspect when the other assaulted him. Soon after, officers who had been called to assist Lawrence found him unconscious on Hillcrest Avenue.
Police declined to say how Lawrence was assaulted, but a search warrant filed in Roanoke Circuit Court said a shoe print was visible on his head.
Police charged William Steele Jr., 18, of Roanoke with malicious wounding of an officer and felony obstruction.
They also charged Dantonio Foster, 25, of Roanoke with felony obstruction and malicious wounding, which was related to the incident at the Go Mart.
Lawrence and his family had previously not wanted to release any information about his condition, but decided to do so Thursday, said Scott Altizer, president of the Roanoke City Police Association.
“It’s really tragic,” he said. “Really tragic.”
The police association is planning a poker run to benefit Lawrence and his family. Details had not been finalized Thursday, but Altizer said the fundraiser is planned for sometime in June.
“We’re trying to make it a pretty big event,” he said.
The association has also set up a fund for donations.
Lawrence is a crime prevention officer who is known for his work with Project Lifesaver.
The program provides people with Alzheimer’s disease, Down syndrome, autism or other mental illnesses with a radio transmitter that is worn as a bracelet. If a person wearing the transmitter gets lost, police can find them more easily.
The Roanoke Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association, created to support officers, has offered to help the department with some of Lawrence’s responsibilities while he recovers.
For instance, Lawrence had already trained some of the alumni members to change the batteries in the Project Lifesaver bracelets. He had also taught them how to perform property checks for residents on vacation.
“We’re at their service to fill in for him, whatever needs to be done,” said Howard Martin, the alumni association’s president.
“I just want him to get well.”

Wire Service

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Posted by: kwflatbed

Virginia Officer Left Paralyzed Begins Recovery

Officer left unconscious after beating by teen on May 10





Courtesy of WDBJ-TV

Officer Bryan Lawrence



Watch Video


Roanoke police officer Bryan Lawrence was left unconscious after a beating by a Roanoke teen back on May 10. Lawrence is now at a rehabilitation facility in Atlanta, and his recovery is expected to take months.
Church members at Hollins Road Baptist Church have been praying for Lawrence, who is suffering from paralysis. Reverend Mark Washington talked to Bryan and his wife from Atlanta Wednesday afternoon.
"He's pretty worn out," says Washington. "He's been through quite [a bit] of therapy today, already pretty intense."
Officer Lawrence told Washington he felt like he was hit by a freight train when he was attacked. Washington says Lawrence still can't walk and can barely move his body, but he has some feeling in his legs. Church members are especially concerned because Lawrence is so well liked there. He's a deacon, a Sunday School teacher, and he's even been known to preach there from time to time.
News7 has been told Officer Lawrence was thinking of retiring from the police force and entering the ministry full time. Church members are hopeful that will still happen one day. They believe prayer and Lawrence's determination will get him back on his feet.
"Bryan has certainly indicated he's going to take this as a challenge, and he's not going to let this defeat him," says Washington.
He's also apparently willing to forgive the man who police say assaulted him.
"I know he has expressed to me no ill feelings, and be able to forgive and move on," says Washington.
Lawrence has more important things to worry about. His son is getting married on August 1, and he's determined to walk down the aisle. But for now he'll continue to get plenty of prayers and support from his church family.
Several funds have been set up to help Officer Lawrence. They include the church and any Sun Trust Bank.
Rev. Mark Washington is talking to Officer Lawrence quite a bit and he is posting updates on the church's web site. Just go to www.hrbcministries.com and click on urgent messages at the bottom of the page.


Story From: WDBJ-TV

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Posted by: JMB1977

Pray for a speedy recovery.

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Posted by: dave7336

Best of luck to the officer...thoughts and prayers are with him and family....


I also hope that they stick it to the punks who did this to him!!!!!

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Posted by: kwflatbed

Fundraiser helps Va. officer recover



By Marvin Anderson
The Roanoke Times

ROANOKE, Va. — The Roanoke Police Department is sponsoring a fundraiser for an officer who was beaten and paralyzed while attempting to subdue a suspect earlier this month.
The motorcycle run in honor of Officer Bryan Lawrence is set to begin June 14 at the Roanoke Civic Center.
Lawrence was paralyzed from the chest down during the May 10 assault. He is now a patient at Shepherd Center in Atlanta, where he is undergoing rehabilitation. It's unclear whether his paralysis is temporary or how long his recovery could take.
Sgt. Bob Chandler said after he heard of the severity of Lawrence's injuries, two retired police officers called him and said they wanted to organize an event to help Lawrence.
Much of Lawrence's medical treatment is covered by insurance, but Chandler said Lawrence and his family will experience many unforeseen costs.
"The expenses of the family, of traveling, adds up more than any one can imagine," Chandler said. "He's going to have to make changes. All that takes money."
Chandler recently began organizing the event and said all money will be donated to Lawrence.
At first, Chandler planned for a poker run, in which motorcycle riders draw cards at set stations along the ride and compete for the best hand. But the organizers changed their plans to a benefit ride after receiving an overwhelming response.
"After we started doing this, we started seeing how many people he touched in the valley," Chandler said. Many more riders expressed interest than a poker run could accommodate.
Participants will begin a course at the Roanoke Civic Center, then head down U.S. 460 to Bedford, then along Virginia 122 to Smith Mountain Lake and take Virginia 679 and U.S. 220 back to Roanoke. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and riders will start the course at 10 a.m.
Registration is $20 per participant. Meals will also be available after the event at $7 per person. A silent auction will be held, and raffle tickets for prizes will be sold.
Officers said they have received donations of gift cards, guitars, artwork and electronics for the benefit and food for the meals after the event.
With Roanoke's outpouring of gratitude, Chandler said the benefit is a statement on Lawrence's positive impression on Southwest Virginia.
"We can see four [hundred] to 600 people at this," Chandler said. "People from Southwest Virginia and the southwest region of the country are calling in to help. This is incredible."
In the attack on Lawrence, police have charged William Steele Jr., 18, of Roanoke with malicious wounding of an officer and felony obstruction.
They also charged Dantonio Foster, 25, of Roanoke with felony obstruction and malicious wounding in a related incident.

Wire Service

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