By Jessica Lepp

Injured Mountie eyes return to work in 2016

Dec 3, 2015 | 11:17 AM

KAMLOOPS — A Mountie who was shot and critically injured one year ago is celebrating life today. 

On December 3rd, 2014, in the early morning hours, Corporal Jean-René Michaud was conducting a routine traffic stop in Batchelor Heights when he was shot.

Watch above: updated video by Reporter Jessica Lepp

After a 12 hour man hunt in the area, Kenneth Knutson was arrested and charged with attempted murder.

Knutson’s preliminary inquiry is scheduled to begin in court on Monday December 7, 2015.

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The Superintendent of the Kamloops RCMP Brad Mueller says,  “unfortunately policing has changed. There’s inherent dangers. We’re starting to see that more and more. Just the other day, we saw another incident in the U.S. where there was a mass shooting.  Unfortunately, that’s starting to become the reality and common place within the policing profession.”

Since the shooting, Cpl. Michaud has undergone a dozen surgeries and continues to recover. Mueller says he hopes to return to work some time in the new year.

On Facebook, Michaud wrote about the incident, saying, “I’m so grateful to be here today, able to hug and kiss my wife and my kids. Life is slowly getting back to normal, even thought our lives have changed forever.” Michaud says December 3 will always be a celebration of life for him.

Rob Creasser with the Mounted Police Professional Association, who was also targeted by a shooter 25 years ago, says it’s likely Michaud is dealing with post traumatic stress.

Creasser says, “I don’t know the status of his physical injuries, whether he’ll ever be 100 percent as a result of the physical injuries, but I know a quarter of a century later and I still deal with the emotional trauma that comes with it – and I had PTSD. It’s something that stays with you forever.”

Corporal Michaud is not commenting to the media, as the preliminary inquiry for the man charged following the shooting is scheduled for next week in Kamloops.