2 injured, including officer, after Dover police rifle is discharged during arrest

Two people, including an officer, were injured Monday when a Dover Police officer's rifle was discharged during an arrest.

The officer, a 2.5-year member of the Dover Police Department, and a 22-year-old Smyrna man who was arrested were treated for injuries to their hands. The officer has been released from a hospital after treatment, while police said the Smyrna man, Millard Richardson, remained hospitalized.

"The exact cause of the injury to Richardson and the cause of the firearm's discharge is currently under investigation by the Dover Police Criminal Investigations Unit and the Delaware Department of Justice – Division of Civil Rights and Public Trust," Master Cpl. Ryan Schmid, a police spokesman, said in a press release issued Tuesday.

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What happened Monday afternoon?

The incident began about 2:20 p.m. Monday as members of Dover Police's Special Operations Response Team were attempting to arrest Richardson, who was sleeping inside of a vehicle parked in the Sleep Inn Hotel located at 1784 N. DuPont Highway.

Richardson, according to Schmid, was wanted as the result of a firearm and gang investigation. Schmid added police had been informed that Richardson had a firearm on him, which he is prohibited from possessing.

When officers contacted him, police said Richardson tried to drive away, but hit a police vehicle. After the crash, Richardson refused to get out of his vehicle.

Officers then broke the driver-side window to gain access to the car.

It was during this time, police said, that a "departmentally issued rifle discharged" and Richardson and an officer sustained injuries to their hands.

There were two other men — a 24-year-old from Dover and a 21-year-old from Smyrna — in the vehicle at the time of this incident, police said. Neither was injured.

Richardson was taken into custody without further incident and transported to an area hospital.

After obtaining a search warrant, police said they found a loaded handgun, almost half a pound of marijuana, a couple of ounces of marijuana oils, edibles and wax, and drug paraphernalia.

Once Richardson is released from the hospital, police said he will be charged with several weapons and drug offenses.

The officer involved in the incident, according to police, has been placed on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of the investigation. This is consistent with the department's policy.

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Send tips or story ideas to Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299 or eparra@delawareonline.com .

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: 2 injured, including officer, after Dover police rifle is discharged during arrest