BALTIMORE — Since that dreadful day on August 8, 2019, retired Baltimore Police Sergeant Ike Carrington's life hasn't been the same.
"Life has been difficult, you have to like mentally prepare yourself for what your life is going to be like moving forward,” said Carrington.
Carrington was outside chatting with his neighbor when a man pulled up in an attempted robbery.
"Guy rolled up already had his gun out, he said don't run, I said don't do this I’m a police officer,” said Carrington.
His neighbor took off running, as did Carrington, before he knew it the man had shot him in the back, arm and leg.
It left him paralyzed from the chest down.
"This is not the way to live for anybody,” said Carrington.
Carrington lives at the Hackerman-Patz house in Towson. A place that is handicap accessible, unlike his home. He says he hasn't been inside his house in four years and time with his family isn't how he pictured it.
"All I would like to be is home, I would like to spend Christmas with my family,” said Carrington. “People are at home with their families during the holidays, birthdays, special occasions, and all these other things, but I’m here.”
Carrington served 25 years with the Baltimore City Police Department. He said when this happened city officials made promises to look after his family and make his home handicap accessible. He had been working with a contractor, but after a disagreement between the two, the project came to a halt.
"There's a lot of legal paperwork, a lot of legal, a lot of legal red tape,” said Carrington.
While a handicap van was provided to him to help get around, Carrington said it's not enough.
"When I go back to my house to see my family, I have to see them in the driveway,” said Carrington.
Mayor Brandon Scott’s office sent a statement to WMAR saying in part that the city has been attempting to work with Sergeant Carrington to improve his house and will continue to work with all parties involved to resolve this.
Two men involved in the shooting were arrested and charged. As for Carrington, he said now the focus is on the next chapter.
"Just getting myself mentally, physically back to be being Ike," Carrington said.
