Wilson nurse sat with trooper, helped stop the bleeding following shooting

Just moments after Trooper Daniel Harrell was shot during a traffic stop on Sharon Acres Road near Elm City, Sherice Richardson drove by the scene.

“I was coming around the curve. I saw some blue lights, and so I slowed down and saw smoke coming from the vehicle. I was like that must have been a car accident,” she said.

Something told the 28-year-old nurse that she should stop, despite being a few minutes late to pick up her 1-year-old daughter from daycare.

“I couldn’t believe it. It was smoke coming from the car and you know, I saw the bullets coming from the windshield, so I got out of the car,” Richardson said. “I went to the car and asked him if he’s OK and I saw him bleeding from the face.”

Harrell 'was born into the Highway Patrol family'

Richardson asked Harrell if he was OK and immediately called 911. While she waited for emergency responders, Richardson said she and another driver helped stop Harrell’s bleeding until paramedics arrived a few minutes later.

“I couldn’t just let nobody sit there and let him bleed,” she said. “Me being the person I am, and being a nurse, I couldn’t do that.”

Richardson said it crossed her mind that the suspect could come back. Instead of fear, she turned to prayer.

“I was kind of praying he would be OK. I knew in my heart he would be,” she said.

On Tuesday, Richardson shared her experience on social media. Since then, law enforcement from across the country has reached out to thank her, including a phone call from Harrell’s family.

“His family, they just wanted to thank me for staying there with him. They assured me he would make it through,” Richardson said.

In 2015, Richardson’s brother was murdered in Sharpsburg. She said he had to die alone on the street and she was never wish that on anybody. That thought was on her mind while she stayed by Harrell’s side, she said.