Family: Wounded Mount Vernon officer may be blind

The family of a Mount Vernon police officer who was shot in the head last month while responding to a call may be permanently blind as a result of his injuries.

>> Related: Mount Vernon officer wounded on the job speaks first sentence

Officer Mike McClaughry's daughter April posted on Facebook that the family is hoping McClaughry's brain recovers, but it is likely he will never see again.

The post says that some doctors won't know if McClaughry can see until he is conscious enough to communicate.

McClaughry had been making promising progress in the last few weeks. The officer's daughter said at a news conference in early January that he was starting to smile.

>> A GoFundMe page has been set up to help out McClaughry and his family. Here's how to send an email to the officer. 

"He'll have moments of semi-consciousness. He'll smile most of the time when we tell a joke or razz him a bit, because that's how our family is. He'll get a big smile from ear to ear, " said April McClaughry. "It feels like you're getting your dad back."

McClaughry, 60, has been moved out of the intensive care unit into an acute care unit at Harborview Medical Center

Ernesto Rivas, 44, was arrested in McClaughry's shooting. According to court papers, he fired from inside a  house where he was holed up with two teenagers.

>> Related: Man, 2 teens charged in shooting of Mount Vernon officer

Prosecutors said the two teenagers and Vallejo, whom they are accused of shooting in the neck, are in rival gangs. Vallejo is expected to survive.

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Rivas and the two teens are charged with attempted first-degree murder for shooting McClaughry in the back of the head, authorities said.

The teenagers are also charged with attempted second-degree murder in the shooting of the other teen.

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