Man Hospitalized After Shooting At Officers: Police

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — A man was hospitalized Tuesday after shooting at two Montgomery County police officers.

The shooting happened just before 5 p.m. in the 18400 block of Lost Knife Circle, in the vicinity of the Cider Mill Apartments in Gaithersburg.

At a news conference, police said the shooting happened after officers approached a 27-year-old man they said exhibited suspicious criminal activity at the Montgomery Village Plaza shopping center.

The man ran from the two officers, who chased him into the Cider Mill Apartments.

Two shots were fired by the individual toward the officers while they were in a courtyard area, police said. Only one of the officers returned fire.

Few details were provided about the man who shot at police. Authorities said he suffered gunshot wounds to his upper torso and leg region.

The gunman's firearm was located at the scene. He is in critical condition and is expected to survive, Montgomery County Police Chief Marc Yamada said.

Neither of the officers nor any bystanders suffered any injuries during the shooting.

Police did not provide further details about the suspicious behavior but said that officers were assigned to conduct safety patrols at the shopping center.

Darren Francke, the assistant chief of the Montgomery County Police Department, said officers had been stationed at the shopping center to "restore order" after receiving repeated complaints from residents about criminal activity in the area.

The officer who discharged their firearm is on administrative leave pending the investigation.