Detective Dan Brite, injured in Parker shooting, showing 'promising progress'

PARKER, Colo. -- Douglas County Sheriff's Office Detective Dan Brite, who was injured after he was fired upon by a suicidal suspect on Friday, is showing "promising progress" in his recovery. 

"As of this time, the doctors are seeing promising progress and Dan is responding to stimulus," said Douglas County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Jason Blanchard in a press release Sunday.

 "Christine (Brite's wife and a Sergeant within the Sheriff's Office) wants to acknowledge the role she believes prayer has played in his recovery and asks for continued prayer."

Brite was shot once in the chest when Randall Rodick, 40,  fired shots near Sierra Middle School, Lifetime Fitness and a retirement community. 

"I turned my radio on. Within moments, I heard the shooting go down over the radio. That is a sinking feeling for a leader of a law enforcement agency," said Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock. "When one of them gets hurt, it's like one of my children."  

Four schools implemented emergency protocols as soon as police received reports of a man with a gun Friday afternoon. None of the schools were involved in the incident, allowing the lockouts to be lifted as soon after the situation was resolved.

Sheriff Spurlock noted Rodick was highly-armed and was seen not only carrying weapons but "what appeared to be an ammo can," he said.  

At one point, Rodick, who continued firing at officers, crashed the RV in front of Parker Adventist Hospital. He was shot and killed by a responding officer.  

"He clearly wanted to be in a shootout," said Spurlock.

He congratulated the officers saying he was proud of them for preventing a "larger-scale" incident in the area.

Sheriff Spurlock also said, Rodick, was well-known to officers, and they had been called out numerous times to his home.

"I suspect that he knew that we were coming, as well, based upon other threats that he had made," he said. "That if officers show up, yeah know, he was going to address them so were aware of that and that is why we had the response that we did."

Spurlock said Detective Brite was wearing a bulletproof vest, but the bullet went in through the side.

"He's an exceptional deputy," the sheriff said. "He's always the lead guy, he's on our regional SWAT team, he's the point guy for that, and he's a trainer for our academy.

Just down the street from one of the shooting locations, the Coffee Cabin and several other local businesses are showing their support.  

"They need us know and it's our time to step up and help them," said owner Wes Crespi.

He plans to hold a fundraiser Sunday September 11th. All of the money made that day will go to the Brite family. After he put the announcement on Facebookthe donations started pouring in.

"To give you an idea, we're closed today and this is just people stopping by asking me please can I make my donation right now," he said while showing Denver7's Jennifer Kovaleski the cash people dropped off. "I mean that's Parker - Parker strong," he said.

It's that support, Sheriff Spurlock said makes all the difference as one of his deputy's fights to make a full recovery.

"As sheriff I couldn't be more pleased with the Douglas County community as a whole," said Spurlock. "I believe there is a miracle occurring right now with Dan's recovery."

A GoFundMe page was set up on Saturday to raise money to support Brite's family as he recovers. The Douglas County Sheriff's Office is also raising money for the family through the Douglas County Fallen Officer Fund. If you are interested in making a donation, click here.