Columbia County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team member hospitalized

LAKE CITY, Fla. (WCJB) - A SWAT team member for the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office was taken to a trauma center after being hurt during an operation Wednesday morning.

According to sheriff’s office officials, the deputy was injured around 9:00 a.m. while assisting the Lake City Police Department with a search warrant near the intersection of Northwest Long Street and Fowler Avenue.

During the operation, the deputy was injured while deploying a less-lethal distraction device, also known as a flash-bang. He was taken to a trauma center to treat serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

“We are praying for our deputy to make a full recovery and appreciate the cooperation of everyone who assisted in rendering immediate medical attention to him,” Columbia County Sheriff Mark Hunter said. “This serves as a reminder of the dangers law enforcement face in an effort to keep our community safe. I would ask for our community to keep this deputy in your thoughts and prayers during his recovery.”

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