Local officer fires on armed man in stolen car

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BEDFORD , Ohio (WJW) — A passenger in a stolen car appeared to draw a gun in a Wednesday encounter with police, prompting an officer to open fire, according to a statement from police.

It happened just after 5:30 p.m. at the Walgreens at 520 Broadway Ave. according to a Thursday statement from Deputy Chief Rick Suts.

Suts said the vehicle, which had been reported stolen, backed into a spot in the parking lot and a back-seat passenger got out. The officer called for help from other officers and tried to block the car in.

While trying to get the driver to turn the vehicle off, the officer saw the front-seat passenger pull a firearm from his waistband. The officer then shot twice at the vehicle as it drove off.

Police do not believe anyone inside the vehicle was struck by gunfire. They asked local hospitals to alert them if they receive a gunshot wound patient.

The officer suffered a minor injury and was treated at a hospital. The officer is now on leave pending an investigation, as is department policy for officer-involved shootings .

The officer’s body-worn and dashboard cameras were not recording during the shooting, since the officer did not activate his lights or sirens, according to Suts.

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