An #OPLive record 11 departments tonight with @lawrencebjones3 in studio.

A message from Deputy Swanger- It’s been a crazy couple of weeks, and I haven’t had the chance to speak to everyone directly. First, I want to start by thanking each and every one of you who stood by me through this experience. To the UT Medical staff, my brothers and sisters at the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, and my friends and family who tirelessly stood by my side and told me it was going to be okay — thank you. To the entire team at On Patrol: Live, thank you for constantly checking in on my well-being. To Stephania, my girlfriend — you stood by my side with unwavering strength. You had no obligation to be there, especially as much as you were, but you remained with me 24 hours a day with wholehearted determination that I would recover. That love will never be forgotten. To every stranger who reached out by mail or third party — your prayers carried me through some of the darkest moments of my life. To the fans of On Patrol: Live — your outpouring of love, support, and prayer was overwhelming. Every letter, every kind word made me feel more confident that I would return. To everyone who contributed, helped organize, or supported the fundraisers — your assistance is invaluable to me and my family. And above all, I want to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for renewing my faith and showing me that even when I don’t deserve His grace, it still falls upon me. He is my true strength. What Happened Many have asked about my injuries and what exactly happened that night. Here is a brief summary, to the best of my ability and with the most accuracy I can provide. We responded to what was originally dispatched as a shots fired/domestic call. After contacting the complainant, we began searching for the alleged suspect. As we announced our presence, we were met with a violent and aggressive verbal response. It was incredibly dark — I could barely see. Once the suspect began making verbal threats, I stopped using my flashlight in order to avoid giving away my position and potentially becoming a target, should he have been armed. Then, I began to hear objects landing around us. At the time, I didn’t know what they were. I believed I was behind a tree to protect my head — but in the darkness, I may have been mistaken. The next thing I remember was an overwhelming pain in my head. I saw what looked like a green starburst, my body completely locked up, and I fell. I couldn’t move. I didn’t know if I had been shot or what had happened. As I was being dragged out of the woods by my partners, I felt something running down my head — which, I later learned from video footage, was blood. I was loaded into the ambulance, but I noticed my left leg had stopped functioning from the knee down. While being transported, I suffered a grand mal seizure. To my knowledge, it lasted approximately an hour, resulting in hypoxia (oxygen deprivation). That is the last thing I remember prior to waking up in the hospital. My Diagnosed Injuries: • Depressed Skull Fracture • Cerebral Contusion • Disc Protrusions in my cervical spine • Intracranial Contusion As a result, I was placed into a medically induced coma for several days. @knoxsheriff @OfficialOPLive