Three Maryland police officers were “ambushed” and shot while responding to a call Sunday evening, authorities said.
Prince George’s County police were responding to a reported home invasion around 6:30 p.m. in Hyattsville, a city about 32 miles southwest of Baltimore, Interim Police Chief Hector Velez said.
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“Within minutes they arrived at the scene, and within seconds they came under gunfire,” Velez told reporters outside Prince George’s Hospital Center. “They were ambushed.”
Officers returned gunfire and took two men into custody unharmed, police said. The injured officers were expected to recover.
Velez said the three officers sustained varying degrees of injuries–one was struck in the chest and suffered injuries to an arm and a leg; another officer was shot in the back; the third officer was wounded in the foot.
The officers shot in the chest and the back were saved by their bullet-proof vests, Velez said. He also said officers provided selfcare before being rushed to a hospital for treatment. One officer needed surgery as of Sunday night.
Velez said the three officers were in “good spirits” and hoped to return to work soon.
Interim Police Chief Hector Velez said the three officers were in “good spirits” and expected to be OK. (Prince George’s County Police Department)
“These officers are coming to work to protect, defend the residents of Prince George’s County,” Velez told reporters. “And this evening, these heroes did just that.”
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan tweeted his sympathies to the three officers and said the Maryland State Police offered to help with the investigation.
