ENCINITAS, Calif. — We have great news to share about the San Diego police sergeant recovering from a bullet wound to his head. In this Zevely Zone, I met Sergeant Tony Elliott at the Scripps Encinitas Outpatient Rehabilitation Center.
Sergeant Elliott was seriously wounded after getting shot in the head during a standoff at 4S Ranch in December 2023. Sergeant Elliott lost the use of his left arm and leg and was initially unable to walk.
This follow-up story is about an officer and father who wants to complete his comeback story so he can go back to serving the public. Tony survived the bullet wound and as he left the hospital, the community's support was overwhelming.
"I was very thankful and happy that I had so many people come to support me and it makes me emotional," said Tony.
Following the shooting, the left side of Tony's body wasn't functioning properly; all because of a bullet that will remain lodged in his head.
"Unless they invent some kind of new medical technology, they said it is going to stay there because it would cause too much damage to go in and take it out," said Tony.
For the past seven weeks, three days a week, six hours a day. Tony's been at the Scripps Encinitas Outpatient Rehabilitation Center.
"You want to fly Tony?" asked Holly Vicario who is his physical therapist.
"It's inspirational to have him come in here every day and have him work so hard and be so motivated to get the most out of his recovery process," said Holly. "He has come a very long way in a very short period of time, and I think a lot of that is because of who he is and what drives him."
One machine assessed Tony's balance. "Perfect scores," said Holly. Tony said, "It feels good." Graduating from brain injury rehab means a return to normal.
"Doing all of the things I did before taking care of my kids, spending time with my wife, getting back to work driving a car," said Tony.
Which was part of his rehab. Occupational therapist Kate Koschei has Tony back behind the wheel.
"He's been trained well," said Kate. Tony joked, "I didn't crash on camera." Officer Elliott plans to return to work.
"I do and that's definitely a tough conversation I am going to have with my wife because she does not want me to go back to that job," said Tony.
He will spend time at home with Laura and their two young sons but wants to back on patrol by the end of the year. "I do have a calling to it and I do love my job and I do want to go back to the same capacity I was in," said Tony.
His advice to anyone facing a challenge? "I would tell them that it is very important to do things that make you feel uncomfortable and things that are not easy for you," said Tony. "I don't like it when people cheer me as a hero because I am not a hero because I am definitely not." I told Tont that the community feels he is a hero. Officer Elliott shrugged and said, "Well, if you say so, that night I was just doing my job. I was doing what makes me happy and I was just doing what the community pays their taxes for and expects me to do."
The trajectory of one bullet reaffirmed the path he wants to walk. He told me he was glad he took the bullet so someone else didn't. "Of course, that is why I am there. That's my job," said Tony. The man who police say fired upon Sergeant Elliott was shot by responding officers and killed. To follow Tony's story on Instagram, click here.