WASHINGTON — D.C. Police are at a heightened state of alert after a man with an ax attacked an officer early Friday.
The incident happened around 3 a.m. in the 3800 block of 13th Street in Northeast, several blocks east of the Catholic University campus.
An officer in full uniform was in a police cruiser when he was ambushed, according to Officer Araz Alali, a D.C. police spokesman. The suspect swung an ax and shattered the cruiser’s window.
The officer got out of the vehicle and tried to apprehend the suspect. Alali said he was injured in the struggle, not by the ax, and was unable to stop the attacker.
The officer was taken to the hospital, and was expected to be OK.
.@DCPoliceDept car pic acquired byABC7. Offcr's frmr partner tells #WTOP "He's a little shaken up.But he's OK." pic.twitter.com/yDU6erSLJN
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Police are now looking for the suspect, who fled on foot westbound through the south alley of the 1200 block of Quincy Street NE toward 12th Street NE. A description of the suspect has not been released.
The ax used in the ambush was recovered, and it is being processed.
Alali said there does not appear to be a connection to last week’s hatchet attack on a group of New York City officers, but said the department will cover all bases in the investigation.
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