A sergeant with the D.C. Housing Authority Police Department was shot and wounded as he drove to work Tuesday evening in the Ivy City neighborhood of Northeast D.C., authorities say.
The 27-year veteran of the force, which patrols public housing in D.C., was shot at about 5:30 p.m. in the 2200 block of New York Avenue NE.
It appeared that three bullets went through the front windshield of the sergeant’s Kia SUV. As many as four more appeared to have hit the right rear passenger window and door.
The sergeant was hit in the stomach, law enforcement sources said.
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He exchanged gunfire with the shooter, an official said.
“It's my understanding that when the shooting occurred, he did return gunfire. It's unknown if the assailant was struck,” Deputy Chief Steven Spencer said.
D.C. police later said that no one injured by gunfire showed up at a hospital.
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The sergeant was able to keep driving west along New York Avenue and come to a stop on Walt Lincoln Way NE.
"He, thank God, made it here in front of headquarters, where we notified EMS to administer first aid," Spencer said.
The shooter's car, described as a gray Honda with heavily tinted windows and Maryland tags, was last seen headed north on Montana Avenue.
The victim was in his personal car, which had a special license plate with a law enforcement badge on it.
Sergeant was not targeted, chief believes
The Housing Authority police chief, Joel Maupin, said Wednesday that he does not believe the sergeant was targeted.
The sergeant usually drives to work in street clothes and changes into his uniform at work, the chief said.
Outside Housing Authority police headquarters, a fellow officer praised the sergeant.
“The man saved my life a couple times, so, of course he’s my friend. There’s been times where we got into commotions, and I had his back and he had my back,” Officer Floyd Favors said.
The sergeant was still recovering on Wednesday and had to undergo surgery.
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The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with potentially relevant information is asked to contact police.
Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.
