A D.C. police captain was shot in Northwest Washington on Monday, resulting in head injuries. The incident triggered a brief chase that ended in Maryland with the arrest of two suspects.
Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith reported that two men were apprehended by Prince George’s County police in Landover shortly after the shooting, which occurred in the 5800 block of 7th Street Northwest. The identities of the suspects have not been disclosed.
According to police, the captain drove himself to the nearby Fourth District station after being wounded around 12:10 p.m. He was then taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Chief Smith explained that the incident began when the police captain, who was heading to work in plainclothes, noticed a car driving erratically on 7th Street Northwest. He was driving behind the suspects in his personal vehicle when they abruptly pulled over.
“The suspects in the vehicle stopped the car very abruptly, got out of the car, and fired on our officer,” Chief Smith said. She did not specify whether the captain was struck by gunfire or by glass shards from his windshield. It is also unclear if the suspects knew they were targeting a police officer or if the captain returned fire.
Chief Smith noted that the captain was not pursuing the suspects at the time he was shot at. She emphasized that “it could’ve been anybody” caught in the crossfire.
The captain radioed in the license plate, and a police helicopter tracked the fleeing vehicle into Maryland. During the pursuit, the suspects’ car rolled over and became immobilized, allowing Prince George’s County police to make the arrest.
Chief Smith stated that the captain is an 18-year veteran of the Metropolitan Police Department. Further details about the suspects and their motives have not been released.
