Waseca police officer Arik Matson, who was shot in the head while on duty in January, is showing more signs of recovery, according to a post on his Caring Bridge site.
"Arik has been making such great strides this week!" his sister-in-law, Nicole Matson, wrote Friday.
Matson, 32, has been gaining strength with physical therapy and was able to walk almost 50 feet with the assistance of two therapists. "He's a long way from walking on his own but it's a start!" Nicole Matson's post said.
He has been gaining movement in his left arm and leg, the post said. His voice is getting stronger and he's able to speak more clearly. A tracheostomy tube, which assists breathing, has been removed. He has been working on his balance and strength on a stationary bike.
Tyler R. Janovsky, 37, of Waseca, has been charged with three counts of first-degree attempted murder in Matson's Jan. 6 shooting. Matson and three other officers responded to a call about a suspicious person in a Waseca neighborhood. During a foot chase, Janovsky allegedly shot Matson in the head and fired at two others.
Matson was shot in the upper right part of his forehead, his family wrote in January. The bullet exited behind his right ear. In January, he underwent surgery that removed bone fragments and a portion of his brain. He is now recovering in a longer-term care facility.
Janovsky also was shot but was released from the hospital and is being held in the Oak Park Heights prison, the highest custody level in the state's correctional system, on $3 million bail. At the time of Matson's shooting, he was wanted on charges involving methamphetamine production. His record includes convictions for burglary, drug crimes, terroristic threats and accessory to murder.
