Wife: Wounded Fort Worth police officer has setback

The police officer who was shot multiple times last week “suffered a pretty big setback” after an abdominal incision came open during a coughing fit, his wife wrote in a Facebook post Tuesday.

Officer Matt Pearce remains in critical condition at John Peter Smith Hospital. Fort Worth police distributed his wife’s post.

“Matt’s abdominal incision came completely open during a coughing fit he had,” she wrote. “Likely the fact that his gut was full of air contributed to this. He ended up having surgery and they cleaned out his gut and his abdominal cavity.

“To give him the best chance of healing, the doctor chose to leave his incision open with a wound vac and they will close it up in another day or so.”

Pearce was wounded March 15 during a shootout with a father and a son in a wooded area in far west Fort Worth.

On Monday, police said Pearce had been “showing small signs of improvement.” His wife posted that he had opened his eyes and began moving his leg.

On Tuesday, she wrote that Pearce “will likely be back on sedation but I’m okay with that for now.”

During the shootout last week, Ed R. McIver, 42, who had a long criminal record, was killed by police and his son was taken into custody. Ed McIver Jr., 20, faces several charges including evading arrest and attempted capital murder.

Linda McIver —the mother and grandmother of the two suspects— said in an interview Monday that she is having her son’s body cremated as he wanted. She said she will not be having a service for him until her grandson is back home.

“We’ll have a eulogy for him. We’ll do it here at our home,” McIver said. “We’re not going to do it until my grandson is home. That’s what my grandson asked so I will abide by his wishes.”

McIver said she has spoken to her grandson twice by phone. He . remains in the Mansfield Jail with bail totaling more than $2 million.

Cpl. Tracey Knight, a police spokeswoman, said preliminary investigation indicates that the elder McIver fired on the officer, but the investigation continues.

“It doesn't matter if [the younger McIver] actually fired the weapon; he was a party to the offense,” she said.

Knight said officers conducting a line search found the younger McIver hiding under some brush. They ordered him to show his hands, and he complied, she said.

"He was located, then surrendered and was taken into custody without incident."

Police recovered a handgun and shotgun, she said. A knife was also found, she said, but it was unclear where it was located.

Staff writer Deanna Boyd contributed to this report.

This story was originally published March 22, 2016 at 6:01 PM with the headline "Wife: Wounded Fort Worth police officer has setback."