Police shot and injured a suspect who allegedly tried to run down officers in Bladensburg, Maryland, before leading authorities on a chase to D.C., police said.
Officers responded to a report of two males tampering with motor vehicles while wearing full ski masks at about 11:50 p.m. Sunday in the 5100 block of 57th Avenue in Bladensburg. At the scene, police saw two men wearing ski masks and attempted to speak with them, the Bladensburg police said in a statement.
When officers approached the two men, one of the suspects ran away but was arrested, police said.
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The second suspect attempted to flee in a car. Officers commanded the driver to stop and show his hands, but the driver refused and quickly drove toward the officers, trying to run them over and get away, police said.
The suspect then hit a marked police cruiser, significantly damaging it. Officers fired their guns, injuring the suspect, and then began to pursue the driver, police said.
Police said three officers fired in self-defense. No officer injuries were reported.
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“Officers come to work and to have a 4,000-pound weapon speeding at you, you’re going to be forced to make split-decisions," Bladensburg Police Chief Tyrone Collington Sr. said.
Shards of glass, metal and pieces of a car bumper can be seen scattered throughout the intersection of 57th Avenue and Jefferson Street, where the police cruiser was hit, and the shooting occurred.
Police followed the driver from Bladensburg to D.C. The suspect was arrested in the 2300 block of Good Hope Road in Southeast — about 8 miles from where officers first encountered him. The driver's hood was flying open during the chase, police said.
The suspect who fled was taken to the hospital with a wound from the officers' gunfire that he is expected to survive, police said.
The suspect was driving a stolen car, according to the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department.
Bladensburg police held a press conference early Monday morning to address the officer-involved shooting. Collington said there is body camera footage from the incident that has yet to be released.
"We want to make sure that our community stays safe, and we want to send a strong message that none of our officers come to work, intended to be ran over by suspects driving stolen vehicles," Collington said.
No other motorists or pedestrians were injured during the chase, according to Collington.
“It’s a miracle that no motorists were injured and no innocent pedestrians walking along the crosswalks or sidewalks were injured by this individual who was hell-bent on escaping from us," he said.
Criminal charges are pending.
Prince George's County and Bladensburg police are investigating.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Bladensburg Police Department at 301-864-6080 or the Prince George’s County Police at 301-516-5721.
This is a developing story. Stay with News4 for more updates.
