Officer's Close Call: Suspect Pulls Trigger But Gun Misfires

A police officer narrowly escaped being shot by a fleeing murder suspect Thursday, authorities say, when the handgun misfired.

Joseph Chatman Clay, 21, of Lanham is charged with attempted murder for allegedly trying to shoot a Prince George’s County Police officer. Clay pointed his gun at the unidentified officer chasing him, pulled the trigger, and the loaded weapon misfired, police say.

Clay was already wanted on an arrest warrant for attempted murder for an August shooting in Riverdale.

The armed encounter began about 3 p.m. when two officers on patrol spotted a car driving about 25 miles per hour on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, slowing traffic. When the car was pulled over by officers at the Riverdale Road exit, Clay jumped out of the front seat and ran. One of the officers gave chase, and when Clay was just a few feet away he turned toward the officer, pointed the gun at the officer and pulled the trigger but didn’t strike the officer.

Police say Clay tossed the gun over a fence and continued to flee, but was tackled by an off-duty Prince George’s County Sheriff’s deputy who overhead the radio traffic and came to assist.

The driver of the car -- David Edward Hall, 24, of Frederick – faces drug charges after police reportedly found marijuana and MDMA pills in the vehicle.

The involved officer suffered a leg injury; he was treated by doctors and released. He is a seven-year veteran of the department assigned to the auto theft unit.

“We are so thankful this dangerous felon is off the streets and our officer was able to go home to his family,” the police department said on its blog.

So far in 2015, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund says 102 police officers have died in the line of duty in the United States.

»Photo of Joseph Clay of Lanham, courtesy of Prince George’s County Police