Officer Dragged By Suspect's Van, 2nd Officer Shoots Driver: Prince George's Police

UPPER MARLBORO, MD — An officer was dragged by a getaway vehicle and a suspect shot during an attempted burglary in Upper Marlboro early Sunday morning.

Police officers were alerted to the burglary of a fast food restaurant around 1 a.m. Jan. 21. Two officers from the Clinton Station were patrolling Crain Highway searching for the suspect vehicle involved in that incident when around 1:50 a.m., they found a van backed up to the doors of a closed gas station in the 7600 block of Crain Highway.

When the two officers approached the building, two suspects ran out and hopped into the van, according to Prince George's Police Chief Malik Aziz, who spoke at a news conference Sunday.

One officer opened the van's door and attempted to pull out the driver.

“At that point, the driver sped off with the officer remaining halfway in the van,” Aziz said during a news conference. “The second officer discharged his duty weapon one time, striking the driver.”

But the suspect continued to drive with the officer hanging halfway out the vehicle. The van crossed four lanes of Crain Highway before the officer was thrown out on South Osborne Road, Aziz said. The suspects then were chased for about 15 minutes before being caught and taken into custody at Branch Avenue and Old Silver Hill Road in Temple Hills.

"We are thankful to report that the officer has been treated and released. The injured suspect also has been released from the hospital," Aziz said during the news conference.

Both suspects will be charged with assault, burglary and related charges, Aziz said.

An initial search of the gas station revealed the suspects had left a pry bar and other burglary tools. The office area was also rummaged through and the ATM had been tampered with. Police said the van being used by the suspects also was believed to be stolen from a nearby church earlier in the evening, Aziz said.

Because the two suspects' methodologies match more than a dozen other burglaries committed in the area, detectives are investigating whether or not they can be connected to the other crimes, Aziz said during the news conference.

The officer who shot the suspect will be placed on routine administrative leave, Aziz said. The internal affairs division and major crimes division both will be investigating the incident.