Philly officer returns to work 993 days after being shot on duty

Philly officer returns to work 993 days after being shot on duty
Philadelphia Police Department

A Philadelphia police officer returned to work Mondayalmost three years after being shot.

Officer Edward Davies was nearlykilled during a violent struggle in a convenience store in August 2013.

According to NBC 10, Davieswas shot in the abdomen,which severedan artery and punctureda kidney. Doctors removed his kidney and he spent more than a month in a medically-induced coma.

RELATED:Officer Edward Davies remains hospitalized in critical condition

Police said that Davies andEric Torres struggled over a stolen gun. The confrontation turned violent when Torres, who had just fled a traffic stop,fired the gun and hitDavies below his bullet-proof vest, NBC 10 reported.

According to Philly.com,Torres was charged with aggravated assault and attempted murder. He was held without bail before beingsentenced to 66 to 132 years in prison in July 2015 byCommon Pleas Court Judge Charles Ehrlich. The judgecalled the sentencing appropriate for a “career criminal.”

During the trial, Ehrlichwent over Torres’history of arrests since he came toPhiladelphiain 2004 from Puerto Ricoand noted that he was on probation at the time of the Aug. 13 shooting for assaulting another police officer.

RELATED: Injured officer Edward Davies’ family releases thank-you statement

Davies,a six-year policeveteran andmarried father of four, was assigned to the 25th District. He returns as a member ofthe Advanced Training Unit at the Police Academy, a department spokesperson told NBC10.

The Philadelphia Police Department posted a message on their Facebook page welcoming Davies back. The post said “Welcome back, Officer Davies – the department and the citizens of the great city of Philadelphia couldn’t be happier to see you back in blue.”