The Tribune

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

POLICE are on the hunt for three men who shot and critically injured a police officer during an attempted armed robbery yesterday afternoon.

The shooting happened at a park off Carmichael Road around noon.

According to Supt Paul Rolle, head of the Central Detective Unit (CDU), the officer was sitting in his vehicle “catching cool breeze” when he was approached by three men, one of whom was armed with a handgun.

One of the men shot the officer in the chest before the group fled the area on foot.

The Tribune understands the wounded officer ran to a nearby web shop for help before he collapsed.

He was taken to hospital by ambulance where he underwent surgery and is listed in critical, but stable condition.

According to police sources, the 32-year-old officer is attached to the Mobile Division. He was not on duty at the time of the attack.

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to contact police at 911 or 919, the CDU at 502-9991 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 328-TIPS.

This is the second police shooting this week.

On Monday, an officer was shot by a teenage boy during an arrest in Elizabeth Estates.

According to police, around 9pm plain clothes officers, acting on intelligence, attempted to arrest the 19-year-old, who they suspected to be in possession of a firearm.

The suspect fired several shots at the officers resulting in one of the officers being hit in his right arm. He was taken to hospital where he is listed in stable condition.

A short time later police arrested the suspect in Elizabeth Estates.

Armed robberies

In other crime news, police are also asking for the public’s help in locating five men responsible for two separate armed robberies.

The first incident happened around 3pm on Tuesday.

According to reports, two men armed with handguns robbed a food store on East and Fowler Streets of cash before fleeing on foot.

A short while later officers from the Flying Squad arrested a 47-year-old man of Strachan’s Corner in connection with this robbery.

About two hours later, shortly after 5pm, two men were walking on Turtle Drive off of Carmichael Road, when four men, one armed with a handgun, in a black Ford Explorer license plate number 210309, robbed them of a cell phone and a watch.

The men then sped off in an unknown direction.

Investigations continue.