Teen Critically Injured in Kalamazoo Shooting Walks Again in New Video Shared by Family
Abigail Kopf, 14, suffered a gunshot wound to the head in February's shooting.
-- A teenager who was shot in the head and critically injured in February's shooting spree in Kalamazoo, Michigan, is seen walking again in a video released by her family.
Abigail Kopf, 14, was one of eight victims in a series of shootings in Kalamazoo that left six dead, including her grandmother. Jason Dalton, an Uber driver, has been arrested and charged with the murders.
The girl's injuries, which included a gunshot wound to the head, were so severe that doctors were concerned that she could end up brain dead, hospital officials said. The Gift of Life, an organ and tissue donor organization, was contacted with the permission of Abigail's parents, but Abigail was never declared medically brain dead, according to officials at the Bronson Children's Hospital, where she was treated.
Now, months after the shooting, the teen continues to recover at a remarkable rate, according to her family. In a video posted Sunday on Facebook, the teen is seen walking again at the rehabilitation center, where she's being treated.
Wearing a helmet and brace, the teen waves to the camera and says "Hi" as she walks with the help of medical staff.
Her family wrote on an online fundraising site that she has improved tremendously since the shooting.
"Abbie's recovery is astounding," the family said online. "It's hard to believe that a girl who was shot in the head a month ago is now playing board games."
The girl also got a custom helmet from the Kalamazoo Wings Hockey Club, to protect her head injuries as she recovers.
The teen had been at a concert with her family when she was shot. Her grandmother was killed in the shooting, authorities said. A judge has denied bail for Dalton, 45. Kalamazoo police Det. Cory Ghiringhelli told the court that Dalton admitted to investigators "that he took people's lives."