3 Maryland Police Officers 'Ambushed' While Responding to a Call
Three Maryland police officers were ambushed Sunday after they responded to a report of a home invasion. All three who were shot are expected to survive.
The three Prince George’s County officers responded to a call at 6:34 p.m. near Landover.
“Within minutes they arrive on the scene and within seconds they came under gunfire,” Interim Police Chief Hector Velez said, according to WJZ-TV.
All three were treated at Prince George’s Hospital Center.
“They’re gonna be fine,” Velez said. “They are in good spirits, they are concerned about each other.”
Velez credited the protective vests the officers wore for their survival. One officer was struck in the chest and also suffered an injured arm and injured leg, while the second officer was shot in the back, The Washington Post reported. The third officer was shot in the foot.
The wounded officers returned fire, Velez said. Two men, neither of whom was injured, were arrested.
Some commenting on the shooting said the incident was part of a wider, worrisome trend.
BREAKING REPORT: 3 Police Officers SHOT In Maryland…
DEMS / MEDIA SILENT…
— Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) August 24, 2020
Hi Kamala… umm, I was just wondering where I can find your (and Joe’s) tweet about the police officers that were shot last night…https://t.co/SQeGMtG1mF
— Veritas Omnia Vincit (@StuartHeinemann) August 24, 2020
The motive for the attack on the officers and the names of the men who were arrested were not released, nor were the names of the officers involved.
County Executive Angela Alsobrooks said she spoke with one officer at the hospital, according to WRC-TV.
“He lay there, he’s waiting to go into surgery and his concern was not for himself. But he was so shaken and he said, ‘I just hope this doesn’t hold me back. I love this community and I want to continue in this job,” she said.
“There’s no way to express properly the heroism that was involved tonight. All three of these officers are nothing short of heroes. They ran toward danger tonight,” she said, according to The Post.
“I want to ask our community tonight to keep all of these officers in your prayers, please keep their families in your prayers, keep this entire department in your prayers,” Alsobrooks added in a media briefing.
“These officers are your officers,” Velez said in a similar vein.
“These officers are coming to work to protect, defend the residents of Prince George’s County. This evening, these heroes did just that.”
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan tweeted regarding the attack:
We are all extending our prayers to the three officers shot tonight in Prince George’s County. @MDSP has offered its full support for the investigation.
— Governor Larry Hogan (@GovLarryHogan) August 24, 2020
Police said the home invasion call did not appear to be made by those arrested, according to The Post. The suspects were male and the caller was female.
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The Post reported that witnesses said the occupants of a black vehicle shot at the police vehicle and shattered its windows.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
