A D.C. police officer opened fire in Northwest Washington on Friday as a struggle developed with someone at the wheel of a car, police said.
The officer suffered cuts and bruises, Contee said.
It began shortly before 5 p.m. Friday, when officers stopped a man after receiving a report about an armed man chasing someone, Contee said.
After officers felt a gun in the man’s clothing, Contee said, the man broke away, ran and got into a vehicle in the 300 block of Kennedy Street.
One officer also got into the vehicle and a struggle continued there, the chief said.
With the man driving, the vehicle sped off with the officer in the back seat, pleading with the man to stop, according to the chief.
Police examined body-camera footage and the apprehensiveness in the officer’s voice could be heard, the chief said.
At some point the officer fired before rolling out the door, the chief said, adding that neither the man’s car nor a weapon had been found.
Many officers were posted in the area, which had been designated for special attention in a fall crime initiative from Mayor Muriel E. Bowser.
Police said a second officer was also injured in the incident.
Peter Hermann contributed to this report.
