DC police officer hurt in shooting in Northwest released from hospital; people of interest detained in Prince George’s County

Editor’s Note — The details about the officer’s injuries have been updated, based on newer information provided by Chief Pamela Smith at a news conference.

WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said that one of its captains who was on his way to work was hurt Monday afternoon after someone shot at him in Northwest D.C.

MPD officials, which posted about the shooting at 12:43 p.m., said the shooting happened around 12:09 p.m.

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Police Chief Pamela Smith said that the unidentified captain, who is an 18-year veteran of the force, was traveling near 7th and Oglethorpe streets when he noticed a vehicle in front of him driving erratically.

The suspects in the car suddenly stopped the car. At least one passenger got out and started firing shots at the captain’s car, Smith said.

“It could have been anybody. It didn’t necessarily have to be a Metropolitan Police Department officer,” Smith said at a news conference. “When these types of things happen, you must know that we will not tolerate this kind of violence in our city.”

The chief said the captain drove himself to the Fourth District Police Station a few blocks from the scene. He was then transported to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The captain had been released from the hospital as of 7:50 p.m.

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Smith said the captain got a partial plate number. This helped the Prince George’s County Police Department take two people of interest — both men — into custody in Landover, Maryland, following a car crash. MPD officials said that happened around 1:26 p.m.

Neighbors in the Brightwood area of D.C. said that these sorts of shootings do not occur and that multiple people heard the gunshots.

“It was pretty shocking,” said Erin Wright, who lives just a few houses away from where the shooting occurred. “My daughter was a little shaken, trying to explain to her what happened, what do you do in case you hear gunshots. It’s kind of unnerving.”

“It’s very disturbing and when I look at these gun things going on these day I wish it could be resolved,” said Richard Reid, who lives on 7th Street.”

Reid said he’s been in the neighborhood for 44 years.

“When I see all this stuff going on I just go the other way to protect myself,” he said. “It takes the family members, the mom and pop to teach the young ones what the value of life is.”

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Smith said that she did not think the situation was a result of a carjacking and that where the officer was wounded is still under investigation.

“We’re grateful that our officer has not sustained any life-threatening injuries,” she said. “The community was very, very helpful in providing us with the video and information to make sure that we apprehended the suspects very quickly.”

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