A U.S. Park Police officer is injured after a driver fled a traffic stop near the National Mall on Wednesday, police say. A helicopter landed on the Mall near 12th Street to rush the officer to a hospital.
The officer was injured “by a vehicle fleeing a traffic stop,” Park Police said. An aviation unit responded.
A man who was driving in the area said he saw a woman driver run a red light, get stopped by police and then take off.
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“All of the sudden, she start up her car and roll out while the police was right there. The door hit the police,” Sultan Kamara said.
The police helicopter could be seen east of the Washington Monument and south of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Many officers responded, and part of Constitution Avenue was temporarily shut down.
The officer has injuries that are not considered life-threatening, police said.
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Additional information on what happened or a suspect was not immediately released.
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Anyone with potentially relevant information is asked to contact Park Police at 202-610-7505.
Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.
