‘Shay Day’ fundraiser planned Thursday for wounded Las Vegas officer

A communitywide fundraiser for wounded Las Vegas police officer Shay Mikalonis and his family is scheduled for Thursday morning in Las Vegas.

“Shay Day” is being organized by the Injured Officers Police Fund. All proceeds will go to the Mikalonis family.

“Please join us and sign a card and/or donate directly to the family as we rally this amazing community of Las Vegas together to support the recovery of Shay,” the organization said.

Meanwhile, an official with the fund said he has talked to the Mikalonis family and there have been positive developments in the officer’s condition, which remains categorized as critical.

“He is watching them,” said Las Vegas police Lt. Erik Lloyd, the fund’s president. “He does have eye movement. He is awake. To them, even though he’s got the ventilator, it seems he does recognize them. That is very positive.”

Mikalonis, 29, was shot June 1 in front of Circus Circus on the Strip as police attempted to take people into custody at the conclusion of a Black Lives Matter protest. He remained at University Medical Center on Wednesday.

A 20-year-old suspect, Edgar Samaniego, faces attempted murder and other charges in the shooting.

Mikalonis’ family issued a statement Tuesday thanking residents of the Las Vegas Valley for their support. They said Mikalonis, who was shot in the head, could be on a ventilator the rest of his life.

Lloyd said Thursday’s fundraiser will help with rehabilitation costs for Mikalonis and his family.

“I do know that, based on what we are seeing right now and the statement the family put out, I definitely see long-term care for him ahead,” Lloyd said. “It is obvious he is not going to be out of the hospital any day soon. He still is going to need to go and have some type of rehabilitation.

“His injury was covered by workman’s comp, but workman’s comp doesn’t cover everything,” Lloyd said. “That’s where the community can step up to help the IPOF help him — help his family be able to afford to go to maybe a hospital out of state or go to a rehab facility out of state to where we can put his family up in a motel (and pay) food, transportation costs.

“Then there is long-term care for him,” he said. “He may need to have a specific type of residence that allows him to come and go. There are a lot of things down the road that we don’t even know about yet that could come up.”

Authorities said Mikalonis has undergone two surgeries, one to remove a bullet from his neck and another to repair a shattered jaw. All funds raised, Lloyd said, “are going toward his future and (to ensure) that they are going to be able to afford everything that is going to happen to him.”

Thursday’s event will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Sahara West Urgent Care parking lot, 6125 W. Sahara Ave. Organizers plan to follow social distancing rules in place because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Those wishing to donate can do so from their car window. Also, a banner will be available to sign.

Lloyd also said police have been amazed at the public support for Mikalonis, his family and police since the shooting. There have been prayer vigils and a steady stream of donations of food and drink to officers standing guard at University Medical Center. Donations have also streamed in to police substations.

“It has actually been pretty incredible,” Lloyd said. “We are so happy that we still have the community support. Shay’s family is extremely grateful for the outpouring of love and support that the community has given them. They are extremely grateful for the care provided at UMC by the doctors and the nurses. Everything put together is kind of overwhelming them at this point.”

Contact Glenn Puit by email at gpuit@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GlennatRJ on Twitter.