An Oneonta police officer wounded in a shooting earlier this week continues to recover but has a long road ahead.

The officer, whose name has not been released, underwent a second surgery on Wednesday and is facing at least one more surgery in the coming days, according to a statement from Police Chief Charles Clifton.

The officer was struck in the upper leg.

“He looked better this morning than at any time since the injury,’’ Clifton said in a Thanksgiving Day Facebook post. “He was out of bed, sitting in a chair, and with the assistance of nurses had even stood up for the first time in three days. We are blessed and grateful for his progress.”

Clifton thanked the surgeons and staff at UAB Hospital who “worked hard to save him intact,” and asked for continued prayers for all involved.

“These types of incidents are very foreign to our community,’’ Clifton said. “Our officers are dealing with some mental scars that will last a lifetime and coping with this situation is very difficult.”

Oneonta police were dispatched about 11 a.m. Monday to Sand Valley Road on a report of a suspicious person.

Authorities said a man – identified as 32-year-old John Joseph Hampton – was “beating” on the doors of homes in the neighborhood. One woman let the man use his phone.

Blount County Sheriff Mark Moon said no one in the neighborhood knew Hampton and authorities don’t know why he was there. The sheriff said he appeared to be possibly homeless or at least temporarily displaced.

One of the residents called the Oneonta police chief on his cell phone, and he dispatched officers to the scene.

When police arrived, said Senior Alabama State Trooper Brandon Bailey, “Hampton fled on foot before being tased and starting a fight with officers.”

Hampton ran off into the woods where a brief standoff ensued. He then brandished a gun and shots were fired.

Hampton was pronounced dead on the scene.

Bailey said the investigation is ongoing by the State Bureau of Investigation. Once the probe is complete, the findings will be turned over to the Blount County District Attorney’s Office.