WASHINGTON — An 18-year-old man suffered serious injuries during an encounter with Manassas city police officers that involved gunfire at a park early Friday.
The unnamed man is expected to survive. No officers were injured, said Prince William County police — the agency investigating the shooting.
Manassas officers shot the man around 1:30 a.m. after he led police on a chase through the city and a section of Prince William County, officials said.
Police had tried to stop the vehicle the man was driving after they received a 911 call about shots being fired from the vehicle. Investigators later learned that the man who was shot had made that call and had given the description of the vehicle he was driving.
“We’re not sure why,” said Sgt. Jonathan Perok, Prince William County police spokesman. Police hope to talk with the driver.
Perok said the driver didn’t stop, and police pursued the vehicle out of the city.
During the chase, two Manassas cruisers were struck by the young man’s vehicle. The young man also struck a tree and a light post before he stopped at a park, police said.
The chase ended at George Hellwig Memorial Park along Bristow Road, where there was some type of altercation between the driver and numerous police officers.
“During the encounter, officers shot the driver,” Perok said. “Officers rendered aid to him until fire and rescue crews arrived to treat him further. He was then flown to an area hospital.”
The man was armed with a weapon, which was later determined to be a BB gun that looked like a real firearm, police said.
A 15-year-old girl was also riding in the vehicle. She was not injured.
“We will obviously be interviewing the officers and those involved,” Perok said. “We’re trying to determine the course of events that transpired once the vehicle came to a stop.”
“We’ll also be conferring with the commonwealth’s attorney on how to proceed further,” he added.
Prince William County police will handle the criminal investigation, and Manassas city police will handle the internal investigation.
