Victim Thanks Trenton Detectives As Their Recovery Continues [VIDEO]

As two Trenton police detectives continue their recovery from Thursday's shooting the woman they helped thanked them for saving her life and a blood drive is scheduled in their honor.

“My heart goes out for them and their families,” Yama Blue told the Times of Trenton. “I love them officers, I love them to death.” Blue lit a candle for the 3-week-old pitbull puppy that Eric McNeil stabbed to death before firing on detectives Edgar Rios and James Letts as they brought her back to her Hobart Avenue home on Thursday morning.

Blue explained to the newspaper that she had broken up with McNeil but he kept coming back.

Detective Rios had additional surgery on Friday according to the Times and is in critical but stable condition. He was shot in the abdomen which caused internal bleeding. He may need still more surgery early in the week.

Letts, meanwhile, was at his parents home in Hamilton recovering from his injuries.

Blood Drive On Monday

The Community Blood Council of New Jersey and Trenton PBA will host a blood drive in Letts' and Rios' names at Trenton Fire Headquarters on Perry Street from in Trenton in support of Capital Health Regional Medical Center from 12noon-6p.m. Donors may simply show up or schedule an appointment here.

"We are holding this blood drive to unite the Trenton Police Department as well as the community to support the officers injured  during Thursday's tragic event," said Michael Lucchesi of the Trenton PBA. "Detective Rios lost a lot of blood as a result of his injuries. During this time of need, the Community Blood Council of New Jersey provided the necessary resources to help Detective Rios. It is important to us to recognize this organization who helped us during our time of need as well as give back to our community. This blood drive holds such significance to us because it not only will further help Detective Rios, but show him the support of the community as well as raise awareness for the importance of events such as this."

All donors will be eligible to win a pair of tickets to Super Bowl XLVIII which will be played at MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands on Sunday, February 2.

Answering Criticism

Meanwhile, Mercer County Prosecutor Joseph L. Bocchini, Jr. responded to criticism that police let McNeil die on the street. “The first thing they do when they go over to him is to  handcuff him and make sure you have him in possession,” Boccini told the Trentonian.“Then you check to see what his condition is. The body was there handcuffed, but it’s a crime scene.”

“This isn’t television," he late told the newspaper.  "People used to watching NCIS, then watch television,” he said. “Unfortunately, this is real life.”