Detroit officer injured in botched robbery shootout is 6 months out of the academy
DETROIT (WJBK) - The off-duty police officer who was wounded in a botched robbery shootout has been out of the academy for only six months, Chief James Craig said at a news conference Monday.
The officer, who has not yet been named, went into a store on the city's east side at Gratiot and Chene about 11 p.m. on Sunday. Surveillance video shows a person with a gun ran at him after he went back outside. The officer and the suspect shot at each other, and the officer was struck in the chest and the ankle before fatally shooting the suspect.
"He certainly responded appropriately to an imminent threat on his life," Craig said of the officer. Craig says the officer had just gotten off work and was dressed in plain clothes. The suspect was shot with the officer's service weapon.
Off-duty Detroit police officer critically injured in robbery shooting; suspect killed
Craig says the officer is in good spirits at the hospital and is eager to come home.
Craig says a second suspect has been arrested in connection with what they believe was about to be a robbery, but didn't elaborate on the details. Detroit police are also looking for a third suspect in connection with the shooting.
Craig says that after the shooting someone approached the dead suspect and the officer, apparently taking their guns and running away. That suspect is described as a black male, about 5 feet 10 inches tall. A dark-colored sedan-type vehicle is also being sought that was seen leaving the scene. Police are reviewing surveillance video.
Craig says this is the ninth Detroit police officer who has been shot or killed this year in the process of doing their jobs. He says even more officers have been shot at but were not injured.
"We might be one of the highest in the country in terms of individual incidents," he said.
You can hear more from Chief Craig from his news conference in the video below.