GREENVILLE, SC - A sheriff's deputy reportedly survived a gunshot wound to the head and according to Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw, "God performed a miracle Thursday night in Greenville, South Carolina."
Crenshaw, along with the sheriff's deputy fellow law enforcement brothers and sisters, believed that the incident should have killed 27-year-old Cpl. Lucas Watts. According to reports, Watts was severely wounded during a traffic stop by a man who was heavily armed.
Watts, who has been with the department for two years, was allegedly shot in the head by a man identified as 50-year-old Gregory Maxwell. Maxwell has been charged with five counts of attempted murder. Crenshaw said that Watts was badly wounded from the violent incident. He said, "I'm not talking about a grazing wound to the head. I'm talking about a bullet to his brain."
Crenshaw said that the area where Watts was wounded was so remote that it would have taken an ambulance up to 45 minutes just to arrive on scene. He also said that Watts would not have survived a life flight. The sheriff's deputy was instead loaded into the back of a pickup truck and taken to an area fire station.
From there, he was transported to a hospital in Greenville, South Carolina, by ambulance. Crenshaw arrived at the hospital after local law enforcement officers, including Greenville County Sheriff Hobart Lewis, who told him prior to his arrival that Watts' injuries were "not survivable."
Crenshaw went to the hospital anyways where he encountered Watts' wife, Haley, who demanded to see her husband. Crenshaw was so moved by the events that took place in those moments and hours after Watts was shot that he attended a church service in the county in the community of Westminister to give a first-hand account of how God worked a miracle.
Crenshaw said, "They carry the wife in. She touches him and he starts moving. A tear rolls down his face. The doctor says, 'Let's go, get him into surgery right now, immediately get him into surgery. Go, Go, Go.'" Crenshaw said that the doctors called the surgery "very risky," but Watts made it through.
By the next day, Watts was not only moving his extremities, but also responding to verbal commands. Even though Watts was still in critical condition, Crenshaw told the church that he witnessed a miracle. He said, "God performed a miracle Thursday night in Greenville, South Carolina."
He added, "I don't know why. I don't know why we are in this, but folks, I am here to tell you from the time he got shot to the time his wife touched him had to be two and a half to three hours. I saw a dead man come back to life. Not because of Mike Crenshaw. Because of God and because of intervening prayer I truly believe."
While speaking to members of the church he said, "I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I'm telling you God performed a miracle Thursday night in Greenville, South Carolina. I've got no doubt in my mind. He made that clear to me." Crenshaw asked for continued prayers for Watts and his family.
A fund has been set up to help the Watts family during this difficult time. According to the fund, Watts is a six-year law enforcement veteran. He and his wife, Haley, welcomed their first child in September 2023. All of the funds raised will be given to Watts and his family.
Crenshaw, along with the sheriff's deputy fellow law enforcement brothers and sisters, believed that the incident should have killed 27-year-old Cpl. Lucas Watts. According to reports, Watts was severely wounded during a traffic stop by a man who was heavily armed.
Watts, who has been with the department for two years, was allegedly shot in the head by a man identified as 50-year-old Gregory Maxwell. Maxwell has been charged with five counts of attempted murder. Crenshaw said that Watts was badly wounded from the violent incident. He said, "I'm not talking about a grazing wound to the head. I'm talking about a bullet to his brain."
Crenshaw said that the area where Watts was wounded was so remote that it would have taken an ambulance up to 45 minutes just to arrive on scene. He also said that Watts would not have survived a life flight. The sheriff's deputy was instead loaded into the back of a pickup truck and taken to an area fire station.
From there, he was transported to a hospital in Greenville, South Carolina, by ambulance. Crenshaw arrived at the hospital after local law enforcement officers, including Greenville County Sheriff Hobart Lewis, who told him prior to his arrival that Watts' injuries were "not survivable."
Crenshaw went to the hospital anyways where he encountered Watts' wife, Haley, who demanded to see her husband. Crenshaw was so moved by the events that took place in those moments and hours after Watts was shot that he attended a church service in the county in the community of Westminister to give a first-hand account of how God worked a miracle.
Crenshaw said, "They carry the wife in. She touches him and he starts moving. A tear rolls down his face. The doctor says, 'Let's go, get him into surgery right now, immediately get him into surgery. Go, Go, Go.'" Crenshaw said that the doctors called the surgery "very risky," but Watts made it through.
By the next day, Watts was not only moving his extremities, but also responding to verbal commands. Even though Watts was still in critical condition, Crenshaw told the church that he witnessed a miracle. He said, "God performed a miracle Thursday night in Greenville, South Carolina."
He added, "I don't know why. I don't know why we are in this, but folks, I am here to tell you from the time he got shot to the time his wife touched him had to be two and a half to three hours. I saw a dead man come back to life. Not because of Mike Crenshaw. Because of God and because of intervening prayer I truly believe."
While speaking to members of the church he said, "I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I'm telling you God performed a miracle Thursday night in Greenville, South Carolina. I've got no doubt in my mind. He made that clear to me." Crenshaw asked for continued prayers for Watts and his family.
A fund has been set up to help the Watts family during this difficult time. According to the fund, Watts is a six-year law enforcement veteran. He and his wife, Haley, welcomed their first child in September 2023. All of the funds raised will be given to Watts and his family.
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Comments
2023-11-29T11:08-0500 | Comment by: Eleanor
Prayers sent for his full recovery and for his wife to be strong until he's fully recovered. God bless him and his family.
2023-11-29T11:08-0500 | Comment by: Eleanor
Prayers sent for his full recovery and for his wife to be strong until he's fully recovered. God bless him and his family.