US Park Police officer shot in Southeast DC

Editor’s note: A previous version of this article incorrectly reported the shooting happened on Friday evening. It has been corrected to Monday.

A U.S. Park Police officer was shot in Southeast Washington, D.C., and was taken to a hospital in critical condition (7News)(Credit 7News)

An officer with the U.S. Park Police was wounded in a shooting in Southeast D.C. Monday evening.

The shooting happened around 7:30 p.m. Monday in the 5000 block of Queens Stroll Place SE in Marshall Heights.

Officials with U.S. Park Police and D.C. police said Monday night that the officer was “ambushed” by two gunmen and shot while driving an unmarked white Tesla on the road. He continued driving and received first aid from other officers until he was transported to a hospital.

No suspects are in custody at this time. Police described the suspects as two Black males; one wearing a white hoodie with blue jeans, the other in all black with a white stripe down the sleeve and down the pant leg.

The officer was transported to a local hospital via medevac helicopter with non-life-threatening injuries.

“This is an example of unnecessary gun violence in our city. There’s no reason that anybody, a police officer, not a police officer, should be shot just for being out here driving through the neighborhood,” Jeffery Carroll, interim chief of D.C. police, said at a news conference.

U.S. Park Police had been investigating an earlier incident in the area when the shooting happened, USPP Chief Scott Brecht said.

“We do have some indications … they did know he was a police officer, but that’ll all be part of the ongoing investigation as relates to the actual shooting incident,” Capt. James Dingledein with USPP said.

A neighbor told WTOP news partner 7News that he heard at least a dozen gunshots when police were on the scene.

“Our prayers are with the officer for a quick recovery and we are grateful for all our law enforcement officers and first responders for their quick response,” D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said in a social media post.

U.S. Park Police and D.C. police are working together to investigate the incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact them at 202-727-9099.

Below is a map of where the shooting took place: