WHEELING, W.Va. — State Police Trooper Abe Bean lost part of his left leg as a result of being shot while trying to serve an arrest warrant Sunday night in Martinsburg.
State Police Major Jim Mitchell confirmed Tuesday on MetroNews “Talkline” that an amputation had occurred at a Virginia hospital.
“He was shot in the chest, in the shoulder and also two rounds in the leg,” Mitchell said. “There has been an amputation of his left leg above the knee that has already occurred. There was just a lot of blood loss there.”
Bean remains in critical condition after suffering those four gunshot wounds from a gun fired by Tobias Ganey. Bean and Trooper Cadin Spessert had gone to Ganey’s residence on Connell Street in Martinsburg to serve the warrant. State police have said Ganey refused to come out of his home and when troopers went in he opened fire. The troopers returned fire and killed Ganey, 60.
Mitchell said Spessert, who was struck once, has been released from a hospital and hopes to visit Bean at Inova in Fairfax, Va., Tuesday.
Mitchell described Bean’s injuries as tragic and sad.
“We know the dangers that we face sometimes but we just don’t think about it,” Mitchell said. “We go and do the job. We hope to be able to continue to support Trooper Bean throughout his recovery and in the future.”
Bean’s father, a retired state trooper, posted a message on Facebook that said his son’s first surgery lasted for eight hours from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday. Mitchell said the amputation came after that.
Dozens of West Virginia troopers and state police from Virginia have been at the hospital to show support. Mitchell said State Police Superintendent Col. Jack Chambers visited Bean Monday. There was also a prayer service led by state police current and former chaplains.
“The prayers that have gone out for Trooper Bean and Trooper Spessert and their families, not just by law enforcement but members of the communities of West Virginia and surrounding states, is very, very much appreciated. We believe in the power of prayer and we’re just very thankful for people to care enough about us to do that,” Mitchell said.
Bean first met Ganey on Nov. 5 when he was dispatched to Connell Street to investigate a complaint of battery.
Mitchell said Ganey had been fighting with his neighbor and allegedly hit him. Bean investigated and told Ganey he would be charged, Mitchell said.
“I think even on that day when they communicated with each other he understood the situation, he understood a warrant would be obtained for him,” Mitchell said.
There was no way to anticipate that serving a misdemeanor battery warrant would rise to this level of resistance, Mitchell said.
“I just think it brings a fresh awareness to the fact that we can be injured, we can be killed in the line of duty,” Mitchell said.
Story by Jeff Jenkins of WVMetroNews