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Wounded Missouri officer has second surgery, in critical condition

Officer O’Connor-photo courtesy Arnold Mo. Police

ARNOLD, Mo. (AP) – Authorities say a suburban St. Louis police officer who was shot in the head by a handcuffed burglary suspect is undergoing a second surgery in an attempt to save his life.

Arnold police posted on Facebook Thursday afternoon that 44-year-old Ryan O’Connor was in “very critical condition.”

O’Connor was rushed to St. Anthony’s Medical Center in St. Louis County on Tuesday after being shot by 29-year-old Chad Klahs. Jefferson County Sheriff’s Captain Gary Higginbotham says Klahs apparently fatally shot himself after wounding the officer.

Higginbotham said officers confiscated a gun from Klahs when he was arrested, but he apparently had another one.

Late Wednesday police posted on Facebook that medical staff had told O’Connor’s family he had a potentially long, hard road to recovery.

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