Man Attacks DC Officer With Ax

[Anthony]

​

Washington police are searching for a suspect they say attacked an officer with an ax.

The unprovoked attack happened around 3 a.m. Friday. The officer was sitting in a marked police vehicle when the man swung the ax and broke the driver's side window, said Officer Araz Alali, a police spokesman.

The officer who has not been identified, was not hit by the ax, but was being treated at a hospital for injuring his shoulder during a scuffle with the suspect. Police say the suspect left the ax behind and got away by foot.

Officer Alali said they are investigating if this incident is connected to the hatchet attack last week against the New York City police officers that were on patrol.

"At this point I don't see a connection, but whenever you have a crime that is similar, obviously we're going to cover all our bases and examine this thoroughly," Alali said.

Police are stilling searching for the suspect. They were last seen going door to door. D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier said a motive in the attack remains unknown.

"While we do not have any information at this point on the motivation surrounding today's attack, this situation underscores the need to always maintain a very high level of situational awareness while we are working," Lanier said.

"Recent incidents targeting uniformed law enforcement officers in Quebec, New York City, and now to one our own here in Washington, D.C. are reminders that we must always be ready for any eventuality," Lanier added.

Stay tuned for the latest on this developing story.

 

[askanison]

This just sound like a crazy guy who needed to be shot. I agree that there does seem to be some concerted effort to try and take out officers on the beat lately. I think there may be some forces at work to undermined the police and instill some fear in the general public.

 

[SamClemensMT]

The phenomenon is known as "suicide by cop". I hope the officers are alright. Beyond that, I just think its truly sad that people are so despondent that they would act out against a police officer in such a way that it could cause them to be shot to death. A human life has so much potential. This is a real shame.

 

[Gelsemium]

Drugs cause people to act like this, I see no other explanation, they have to be totally out of their minds to act like this.

 

[Peninha]

I've heard about suicide by cop, but in this case he's still at lose, so that was not the cause for this.

 

[Allison2021]

I only wish the officer could have shot the culprit. I do not mean to kill but just disable the culprit enough, so he was unable to move around and traumatize and physically injure others.

 

[pattycake]

How did the suspect manage to get away? He swings an ax at a cop and got away in a scuffle? Why didn't the cop draw his gun and shoot? The way they do to black men?

 

[Peninha]

That's a great question, most likely the police officer was injured and could not follow him.

 

[Sweetheart]

Halloween morning 2014 this happens. Just about a month ago another guy does this in Jamaica Queens to a cop and they shot him. An axe is not the norm in NYC. Sometimes I don't think it is wise to publicize things like this because it gives the unstable ideas. This happened also in 08 in Rockingham Australia. The photo of the axe in the window is something else. It comes up if you search this incident.
They haven't caught this guy yet. The photos that come up on a search for this are interesting.