Taxpayers in Omaha, Neb., will pay nearly $480,000 in medical bills for a suspect whom police wounded with gunfire after he allegedly shot an officer on Sept. 11, city council members decided this week in a 6-1 vote.
The officers struck suspect John Ezell Jr., 36, multiple times after he fired at Omaha Police Gang Unit Officer Ken Fortune, 42, striking the officer in a shoulder, during a traffic stop in the city, authorities said, according to Omaha’s FOX 42.
City to pay more than $230k hospital bill for man accused of shooting OPD officerhttps://t.co/q3Xms2vvZE pic.twitter.com/qFbw3ZXbwH
— FOX 42 KPTM (@FOX42KPTM) December 19, 2018
The officer recovered quickly and was soon released from a hospital, but the suspect spent about a month recuperating, racking up medical bills totaling $479,341.25, the Omaha World-Herald reported.
The city initially agreed to pay half the cost, with Ezell responsible for the remaining $239,670.63. But Tuesday’s vote means the city will pick up the suspect’s share as well, the newspaper reported.
“I’m sure there’s going to be a number of council members who will hold their nose and vote for it,” City Council President Ben Gray told the paper prior to the vote. “I’m going to be one of them. We’re obligated to do it.” – READ MORE