Utah Officers Rallying Around Wounded Montana Trooper

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Utah Highway Patrol and several other agencies are rallying around a Montana Highway Patrol officer who was shot early Friday morning.

Trooper Wade Palmer was investigating a shooting near Missoula, Montana when he came across a vehicle matching a suspect description. When another trooper arrived, he found Palmer shot, still belted in his cruiser. Palmer was airlifted to the University of Utah Hospital.

Since then, troopers from UHP and other agencies have kept watch at the hospital and helped Palmer’s family with whatever needs they have in Salt Lake City.

The law enforcement community in Utah has been taking good care of Wade, his family and Cpt. Kitchin & Sgt. Finley who are with him in Salt Lake. There has been someone outside his room around the clock including his surgery room. #mtnews pic.twitter.com/CZuducoiBa

— Montana Highway Patrol (@MTHwyPatrol) March 16, 2019

“What we’re seeing is absolutely incredible. It’s extraordinary,” said Montana Attorney General Tom Fox, who traveled to Salt Lake City to be with Palmer and his family. “They have at least two troopers that are up at the hospital, one just outside Trooper Palmer’s door having a vigilant watch for him all the time.”

UHP Trooper Alex Whitney said they were ready to help Palmer’s family with anything they need.

“We’re all there for each other in times of need, especially in times like this where it’s more of a crisis than it is a time of need,” Whitney said. “It is one big family. Law enforcement across the nation, you’ve heard it certainly before, but it is a family and I can’t emphasize the fact of how true that is,”

A GoFundMe account* has raised more than $120,000 for Palmer’s family.