A Prince George's County police officer crashed his cruiser after shots were fired at the officer in Mt. Rainier, Md. (WTTG photo)
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MT. RAINIER, Md. - A Prince George's County police officer had to take quick evasive action with his cruiser Thursday afternoon to avoid being shot. In doing so, he crashed that cruiser. But the bullets missed, and the policeman did not suffer serious injury.
Police believe a series of incidents began around 11:30 a.m. in Bladensburg. A spokesman says shots were fired inside a home on 56th Avenue in an incident characterized as a "residential robbery." No one was apparently wounded. The suspect vehicle in that incident was described as a dark SUV.
About a half hour later, a patrol officer in nearby Mt. Rainier attempted a routine traffic stop. Police say it was the same vehicle.
"When the suspect’s vehicle slowed to stop, two people in the rear of the occupied SUV pulled out handguns and fired back towards the marked patrol car,” explained Dep. Chief Kevin Davis.
The unidentified officer floored his accelerator, turned sharply and crashed his cruiser through a fence. The bullets aimed at him apparently missed. Officials say the policeman was not seriously injured in the crash.
The suspect vehicle got away as an intensive manhunt began along the P.G.-D.C. border. Police in D.C. located an abandoned Chevy Suburban on Otis Street, NE. The suspects were nowhere nearby.
Police are seeking three men, described as African American, in their 30s, with one or more of them wearing white t-shirts. One of the suspects had dreadlocks.
