Late on Friday, an attempted arrest near Hartford, Connecticut, resulted in gunfire, leaving two police officers wounded and a suspect dead, according to authorities.
The incident began around 11:07 p.m. when Hartford police officers were examining what they identified as illegal activity. During the investigation, a male suspect attempted to flee.
As the suspect tried to escape, an officer pursued him and attempted an arrest. During their altercation, the officer detected what he suspected was a firearm tucked in the suspect’s waistband, Hartford police reported.
The suspect then managed to get into a vehicle and speed away, initiating a police chase through the city. Information about the suspect’s vehicle was promptly relayed to nearby law enforcement agencies.
While probing for suspected illegal activities in Hartford, Connecticut, on Friday night, police efforts to apprehend a suspect sparked a chase, culminating in Newington. (Brad Horrigan/Hartford Courant via AP, File)
The chase eventually reached Webster Court in Newington, a town south of Hartford near the Rocky Hill town line.
After the suspect got out of the car, there was an exchange of gunfire that left two officers wounded and the suspect dead, police said.
The wounded officers were identified as Hartford Police Officer Alex Diaz and Rocky Hill Police Officer Jon Escobar.
Both officers were taken to a hospital following the shooting and were later released, according to local authorities.
The shooting prompted a multi-agency investigation after a pursuit that began in Hartford crossed into neighboring Newington. (WTIC)
Hartford police said Diaz was released from the hospital Saturday and was recovering at home.
A gun was recovered at the scene, police said.
Authorities have not publicly identified the suspect or provided additional details about the activity Hartford officers were investigating before the attempted arrest.
The circumstances surrounding the exchange of gunfire, including which officers fired their weapons, remain under investigation.
An aerial view of Hartford, Connecticut. Police said officers were investigating suspected illegal activity in the city before a pursuit ended in gunfire in Newington. (Visions of America/Joseph Sohm/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
The Connecticut Office of Inspector General is investigating the use of deadly force.
Hartford police referred News Media’s questions about the investigation to the Office of Inspector General.
The Office of Inspector General did not immediately respond to News Media’s request for comment.
The investigation remains ongoing.