Two years later: Phoenix police officer who was shot 8 times in the line of duty continues miraculous recovery

PHOENIX — Two years ago, a Phoenix police officer was shot eight times in the line of duty. 

On December 14, 2021, Phoenix police officers were called to the area of 19th Avenue and Camelback Road for cars doing donuts; the call eventually led officers to an apartment complex near 15th Avenue and Camelback Road. 

Tyler Moldovan had been on the job for less than a year when he was shot eight times by a suspect. When he was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital in Downtown Phoenix, many did not think he would survive. 

But the miraculous happened — in the two years since he was shot, Moldovan did not just survive. He has made an incredible recovery.

RELATED: Community welcomes home Officer Tyler Moldovan after his release from rehab facility

After undergoing months of hospitalization and rehabilitation, Moldovan was released and returned home to Arizona in the summer of 2022. Then, he was given his official Phoenix Police Department badge at Chase Field during a Luis Gonzales Hometown Heroes community softball event.

Moldovan threw out the first pitch to open the Arizona Diamondbacks 2023 season. He even threw out the first pitch at Game 5 of the World Series to a standing ovation. 

Chelsea Moldovan, Tyler's wife, chronicles his progress and updates on social media, allowing the community to cheer for Tyler every step of the way. 

"When they told me he was shot in the head, I had no words, so I could only pray," said Chelsea Moldovan, Tyler's wife, in a pre-recorded video released by Phoenix police a year after the shooting. "So that's what I did." 

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