Three Washington police officers were shot and one officer was injured as a suspect continues to open fire from a residence in Southeast Washington on Wednesday.
The D.C. Police Union and Washington police confirmed that three officers were shot by a suspect from the 5300 block of Hanna Place SE. The three officers sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to nearby hospitals. A fourth officer sustained minor injuries but was not shot.
As of 11 a.m., the suspect remained barricaded inside the house. Washington police announced road closures at Benning Road SE between G Street and Southern Avenue SE, G Street between Benning and 51st Street SE, and 46th Street toward Benning Road SE.
Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith said during a press conference at the scene on Wednesday that officers were executing an arrest warrant at the residence on behalf of the Humane Society “for cruelty to animals.” She said the police force will often assist the organization with arrest warrants of that nature.
“Our officers attempted to make contact with the individuals inside the residence in order to execute the arrest warrant,” Smith said. “The individual refused to come outside. As officers attempted to gain entry, the individual fired upon them.”
The chief mentioned “dogs” when discussing the situation but did not specify what type of animals were in the home in relation to animal cruelty.
“What I will say is this is unacceptable,” Smith said.
Smith confirmed the suspect remains barricaded inside the residence, which sits near the Maryland line, and negotiators and officers are in “constant communication” with the suspect.
She said she does not know if there are other people in the house with the suspect and that officers are attempting to gain information as to his identity.
“This remains an active situation, and the individual has continued to fire from that location,” Smith said.
The police chief drew attention to the Secure DC Omnibus bill, which passed the D.C. Council on its first vote and is preparing for a second in a few weeks. Smith also called for stronger penalties for gun-related crimes such as the one that occurred Wednesday.
“I’m not a politician, but here’s the thing that we have to look at: There are a lot of individuals with guns on the streets,” Smith said. “And I know Secure DC is part of the legislation that we’re asking our councilmembers to pass. The penalties for folks that are just discharging firearms who do not have a right to do that is very challenging for us.”
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Smith said she would not say D.C. crime is out of control but instead blamed it on a group of people “who do not respect law enforcement and authority.”
2023 in Washington, D.C., was marked by a wave of crime that ended with a 26% increase in total crime. The most frequent criminal activity in 2023, continuing into 2024, are carjackings. Motor vehicle thefts increased by 82% last year, and already, 627 thefts have been reported this year.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
