WASHINGTON — DC Police is investigating after officers shot a man in Southeast D.C. on Friday night.
The police department first tweeted about the shooting at 6:54 p.m. which happened in the 1400 block of Bangor Street, SE.
In a press conference hours after the shooting, Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela A. Smith said two officers were on proactive patrol when they approached a man. That man reportedly ran away and officers followed him into an alley. Smith says that is when the man pulled out a gun and began shooting at the officers, who returned fire. The man was hit and officers rendered aid until EMS arrived to take him to an area hospital. The man is expected to survive.
None of the officers were injured. The man who was shot has not yet been identified and it is unclear why the officers approached him prior to the shooting.
"We know that there has been a significant increase in homicides and shootings in this particular area over the past three years," said Smith in the press conference. "Our officers were doing proactive policing, which is what I expect them to do and it's unfortunate that someone assumes that it is okay to shoot at our officers when we are trying to proactively prevent crime in this particular area."
Smith did confirm that a weapon was recovered at the scene.
The man shot was later identified as 35-year-old Kenneth Coleman, of Southeast, D.C. He has been charged with aggravated assault on a police officer, carrying a pistol without a license, possession of an unregistered firearm, and possession of unregistered ammunition.
The shooting will go under an independent review by the United States Attorney's Office and the two officers involved have been placed on administrative leave. Their body-worn cameras were active and footage will be released.
Police have arrested two men less than 24 hours after a 2-year-old boy was killed and his mother wounded in a shooting in Langley Park.
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