WASHINGTON – A Waldorf man was hospitalized after exchanging gunfire with investigators who were serving a warrant at his home Friday morning.
Officers with the The Charles County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service served a search warrant as part of a mail fraud investigation at a home in the 4600 block of Gadwell Place in Waldorf, Md., at about 6:40 a.m. The occupant, William P. Bell, 23, was armed with a rifle and confronted officers outside the home, the sheriff’s office says.
He exchanged gun fire with the officers. Police say multiple rounds were fired.
Officials shot Bell several times. Emergency crews transported him to an area hospital by helicopter. He sustained life-threatening injuries, police said in the morning but his condition was stable Friday evening, the sheriff’s office says.
No one else was injured and police say Bell was the only person in the home at the time.
Bell’s home is near St. Charles Towne Center and neighboring homes were evacuated as a precaution.
Sheriff’s deputies have been working with postal inspectors on the mail fraud investigation for several weeks.
