VANCOUVER 鈥� A week after he lay dying in a pool of his own blood across the street from his own business, the victim in last week鈥檚 Yaletown shooting spree is reportedly well enough to crack jokes with family.
Paul Dragan, the 52-year-old owner of Reckless Bikes allegedly shot last Tuesday by an ex-employee and former tenant, is still in hospital but has improved from critical to stable condition, according to the 91原创 police department.
"He is awake and speaking and responding well to family,鈥� according to a Facebook update from his store manager Ryan Schmidt. "Apparently he even cracked a couple jokes (sounds like Paul!).鈥�
Dragan鈥檚 recovery impressed Dr. Clifford Shore, a retired emergency room doctor who was nearby after the shooting and applied pressure to Dragan鈥檚 wound, opened his airway and tended to the patient until paramedics arrived.
"I鈥檓 very pleased and I鈥檓 glad that he鈥檚 made the recovery as far as he has to date but at the time when the shooting happened and he was critically injured he looked like 鈥� he wouldn鈥檛 make it to the hospital,鈥� Chase said Tuesday morning. "When he was taken away my thoughts were No. 1 'I hope he makes it,' and secondly, 'I hope there isn鈥檛 any residual deficit from the injury.鈥�"
Dragan probably lost 60 to 80 per cent of his blood supply, said Shore, who called the bike store owner 鈥渁 real fighter.鈥�
Yaletown residents and businesses have planned a free barbecue outside the Roundhouse Community Centre this Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., where a massive get well soon card will be open for signing.
A community ride is also scheduled for next Sunday starting at Dragan鈥檚 Reckless Bikes on Davie Street.
Dragan was across the street from his business outside Starbucks at the foot of Davie on Tuesday morning when he was shot. Police exchanged gunfire with the shooter, who took off on his bike and rode along the seawall until another a second shootout with officers took place near Science World.
Gerald Battersby, 61, faces five attempted murder charges for allegedly trying to shoot five police officers and another one for allegedly shooting Dragan.
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