Three D.C. police officers were shot and a shooter continues to fire gunshots from a home in Southeast D.C. on Wednesday, police say. A fourth officer has minor injuries but was not shot, multiple sources said.
The officers were serving an arrest warrant for cruelty to animals when someone opened fire, police said.
The shooting suspect remains barricaded in the house and continues to shoot at police, hours after law enforcement shut down several city blocks, forcing multiple schools into lockdown.
Young children could be seen getting police escorts into their school on Valentine’s Day.
“This remains an active situation, and the individual has continued to fire from that location,” Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith said at a news conference at 10:15 a.m. “We are asking everyone to please stay out of this location until we are able to apprehend the suspect.”
The incident begin as officers were serving the arrest warrant in the 5000 block of Hanna Place SE, near Benning Road and the Maryland border at about 7:30 a.m., Smith said. A person refused to come out of a single-family home. When officers tried to enter, someone began firing from inside.
A doorbell camera from a home nearby captured the sound of a barrage of gunfire.
Police are still trying to learn the identity of the shooting suspect. It’s unclear if anyone else is inside the home. There may be dogs in the house, Smith said.
Negotiators are speaking with the suspect, Smith said.
The three officers who were shot are expected to survive, D.C. police confirmed. One officer was shot in the hand. Another was shot in the foot or leg, Smith said.
One officer was struck twice, but his ballistic gear stopped the bullets, D.C. Police Union Chairman Greggory Pemberton said.
A fourth officer was injured but was not shot, sources said.
Some officers were rushed to a hospital in police vehicles instead of ambulances, sources said. News4 saw several police cars outside MedStar Washington Hospital Center, where the four officers were being treated.
It’s unclear if anyone else was injured.
Two nearby schools — Garfield Elementary School on H Street SE and Plummer Elementary School on Texas Avenue SE — were placed on lockdown, D.C. Public Schools officials said.
Officials in uniforms were seen shuttling children into a KIPP charter school near 46th Place and Benning Road SE. A swarm of police cars and emergency vehicles were seen near the doors to the school.
“I’m outraged because my son goes right here to this school. I was coming to take him to school and wasn’t able to get through and I’m just like … I’m shocked. I’m really shocked,” said one mother.
A large black vehicle resembling an armored truck was seen driving into the cordoned-off area.
Police asked members of the media to stay far from the scene.
Three D.C. officers were shot while serving a warrant for animal cruelty in Southeast, D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith said. News4 has special breaking coverage on the barricade situation.
DC police chief, police union head point fingers at DC Council
D.C.’s police chief and the head of the police union both called for action from the D.C. Council on crime.
The council gave initial approval last week to a comprehensive crime bill, known as Secure DC, that would increase penalties for gun crimes. For instance, firing a gun in public would be a felony.
“The penalties for folks that are just discharging firearms who do not have a right to do that is, is very challenging for us,” Smith said. “So, I’m asking that we will certainly do everything we can to pass Secure DC, especially the portion of that bill where we need to increase the penalties for firearms.”
The police union chairman called for more officers to be hired.
“We’re short 500 police officers, which is why we can’t send officers to these scenes to the proper number, to handle these situations, and it puts us all in danger, puts citizens in danger, puts police officers in danger,” Pemberton said. “This is an unfortunate and tragic example of what the city council thinks of police officers, and until the citizens rise up and tell city council to act normal and repeal some of these policies, I don’t think we’re going to see an end to this.”
It wasn’t immediately clear, though, how legislative action might have prevented or affected the crime Wednesday.
Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.
Amanda Smith is a dedicated U.S. correspondent with a passion for uncovering the stories that shape the nation. With a background in political science, she provides in-depth analysis and insightful commentary on domestic affairs, ensuring readers are well-informed about the latest developments across the United States.
