BOSTON (AP) – A police homicide detective shot a suspect in the face on Sunday after chasing the man and three companions in their car, which just moments earlier had fled from the detective and another police investigator after someone in the car fired shots.
At around 2:30 p.m., the two detectives were conducting an interview on Bicknell Street in the city’s Dorchester neighborhood when they were fired upon by someone in a passing white Toyota.
The detectives followed the car several blocks to Fowler Street, and boxed it in behind a double-parked car. The detectives approached, and the suspect got out of the car with gun in hand and turned toward the detectives, according to a statement from police.
One of the detectives shot the man in the face. The suspect, who was not immediately identified, underwent surgery.
at Boston Medical Center.
Three men in the car were taken into custody.
The two detectives, who were not identified, were taken to Brigham & Women’s Hospital for evaluation and released. Another officer was injured when his patrol car crashed on Columbia Road on his way to the scene. He was treated at Boston Medical Center for non life-threatening injuries.
District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said the shooting was unusual because the police involved were homicide detectives involved in numerous pending murder cases. He said he referred the case to Norfolk District Attorney William Keating for an independent investigation, as is customary in police shootings.
“There are few, if any cases that are more important than police-involved shootings. In order to preserve the public trust in law enforcement, these investigations need to be transparent, expeditious and unbiased,” he said in a statement.
AP-ES-09-14-03 2008EDT
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