Off-duty Detroit officer fatally shot after wounding 2 fellow officers, chief says

DETROIT (AP) — Two Detroit police officers have been wounded after coming under gunfire from an off-duty officer who threatened suicide and later was fatally shot.

Police Chief James White told reporters that the off-duty officer had been struggling with a mental health crisis and that the officers who were wounded had arrived in response to a 911 call Monday afternoon.

The 13-year veteran of the department recently had returned to full duty after being off work for a time, said White, who added that the officer was working through a degenerative condition. The officer’s name has not been released.

White said the 45-year-old off-duty officer was wearing his uniform and shooting into the air with a rifle when the other officers arrived. The responding officers identified him as a member of the department’s special response team and said he was “threatening suicide,” according to White.

White said the off-duty officer then approached the vehicle the arriving officers were taking cover behind, striking one of the officers in the leg and the other “in the thigh area.” One of the wounded officers returned fire, killing the shooter, White said.

“Once they recognized it was one of our own members, they still had to do their job and make sure that everyone else was safe,” White said.

The wounded officers were in stable condition Monday night at a hospital.

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EDITOR’S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org.