DC Officers, Man Hurt After Officer Shot Suspect From Inside Moving Car

“At some point during that drive down Kennedy Street, a shot was fired by our officer, striking the individual," Chief of Police Robert Contee said

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Two D.C. police officers and a man suspected of carrying an illegal gun were seriously hurt after several officers struggled with the man and an officer shot him from the back seat of the man’s moving car, police say. 

The officers have injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening. The man has a critical gunshot wound, Chief of Police Robert Contee told reporters. 

The suspect was arrested Friday on a slew of charges including kidnapping and assault on a police officer, NBC Washington reports.

Contee described a “violent struggle” on Kennedy Street NW. 

Officers were on patrol at about 4:48 p.m. when someone flagged them down and said they saw a man with a gun chasing someone, Contee said. The man had a cast on his arm, the person said. 

Officers began to look for the man and quickly found someone matching the description. They stopped the man and felt a gun in his waistband, Contee said. 

Officers struggled with the man, who ran to a Jeep in an alley. They tried to get him out of the car and get the gun, Contee said. 

An officer jumped into the back seat of the car and the man started driving.

Two officers were thrown from the car, police said Saturday.

“The officer was in the rear of the vehicle pleading with the person to please stop,” Contee said. 

“At some point during that drive down Kennedy Street, a shot was fired by our officer, striking the individual,” he said. 

The officer jumped out of the moving car, and the suspect fled. 

That man later was found at a local hospital with a gunshot wound, Contee said. He was in surgery. 

Two officers were treated at hospitals for their injuries and another officer didn't need emergency treatment for their injuries, police said.

An internal affairs investigation will begin. 

Contee thanked the citizen who told police about the gun, and defended the officers.

“Unfortunately we’re seeing too many guns in the streets of our city,” he said. “This is an incident where one of our brave officers is out here, and our citizens did exactly what we ask them to do: They told a police officer they saw an armed man chasing an individual down the street in the District of Columbia, in broad daylight. That citizen — thank you — did exactly what they were supposed to do and those officers did exactly what they were supposed to do."

Streets in the area were closed. 

Police are looking for the suspect’s car, a dark-colored Jeep with paper, temporary license plates. 

“There is probably valuable evidence inside,” Contee said.

Police initially said one officer was hurt after being dragged by a car while making a traffic stop, and that the officer shot the suspect.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story. 

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