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The Mount Vernon police officer who was shot in the head in the line of duty earlier this month spoke for the first time in the hospital.

Officer Mike McClaughry’s daughter April says her father’s first word was, “ouch,” uttered when nurses turned him in bed yesterday, ³ÉÈËXÕ¾ Radio reports.

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April says, “Even though he was hurting it was good to hear his voice.”

McClaughry was taken off machines and started breathing on his own earlier this week and his doctors say his head trauma is improving significantly.

McClaughry was shot while canvassing a neighborhood in Mount Vernon earlier this month. He and other officers were looking for witnesses in the report of a shooting.

A was setup to help support McClaughry and his family. As of Friday morning, $42,715 was raised.