A man was shot by a D.C. police officer on Tuesday after he allegedly threatened the officer with a gun.
It happened around 5:45 p.m. in the 1700 block of Minnesota Avenue in Southeast near 18th Street. Police were called for suspected drug activity.
An officer spoke with the man before the “officer sent him on his way,” D.C. Police Chief Robert Contee said. As the man left, the officer noticed what he believed to be a concealed gun.
The officer called for backup and tried to stop the man from leaving. That’s when the man pulled a gun on the officer, police said.
Contee said the man took a firearm from the rear of his body and brandished it. The officer attempted to talk down the victim several times before firing.
Police said the man remained conscious and was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
“This is a brave officer who was out here doing his job,” Contee said. “He was actually showing compassion by moving someone who was involved in the use of illegal drugs, moving that person on. But unfortunately this person was armed and decided to pull a firearm on the officer and he defended himself.”
Contee said they are still trying to determine whether the man fired his gun.
Below is the area where it happened.
WTOP’s Abigail Constantino and Anna Gawel contributed to this report.
