Two Detroit police officers injured in shootout with suspect

DETROIT - A Detroit police officer shot and another wounded during a shootout with a suspect on the city's east side.

It started as a traffic stop and turned into a chase when the man tried to take off and started shooting.

Officers returned fire, hitting the suspect several times.

"If you shoot at a police officer, that is a problem for me," Police Chief James Craig said. "Day, night, evening, it just does not matter. It shouldn't happen."

Recovering the gun, one officer expected to be okay, the other who was wounded in the leg, is in serious but stable condition. 

Two Detroit police officers sent to the hospital Monday are now recovering after sources say they tried to arrest suspect Rondell Beamon.

Beamon on parole for manslaughter, weapons and drug charges, also remains in serious condition.

Police say Beamon, 43, led them on a chase, and then began shooting at officers.

"If you respond to any of our officers using any kind of deadly force,” Craig said. "Then we are going to respond."

Just after 10 a.m. police, investigated a possible stolen older model Ford Expedition in a park near Sanilac and Moross, found Beamon inside with a woman.

"As the officers approached the vehicle, the suspect, the driver, began to remove a handgun and tried to hide it inside the vehicle," Craig said.

That's when police say the woman got out and tried to run, police caught her.

"I heard police say 'He's got a gun,'" said witness Johnnie Lewis.

After police say Beamon was arguing and wouldn't get out, a witness said he saw him speed off toward the I-94 service drive.

"He spun around in the field (and) he went on the service drive, the wrong way," Lewis said.

Police say the chase ended quickly near Moross and Camley after Beamon ditched the Expedition near his sister's house on McCormick.

"I'm just worried for him, I want him to be okay," said his sister.

FOX 2: "Why did he run?"

"I didn't know he was in the driveway," she said. "I just saw him being chased by police."

Police say Beamon fired several rounds at police; witnesses describe hearing about 20 gunshots.

"I just screamed don't kill him," she said. "There were just so many gunshots."

His family insists there's much more to the story.

"That's his truck it's not stolen," his sister said. "He's had that truck for three years. It's not stolen.

"I just want to see him again.  Even if I have to visit him, I just want to see him."