WASHINGTON — Metropolitan Police are searching for a man who grabbed a security officer’s gun, shot an uninvolved bystander and then fled on a scooter after a confrontation at a store in a Target store in Northeast Washington.
The shooting occurred about 5:35 p.m. on Thursday in the 1500 block of New York Avenue NE, according to D.C. police.
Police said the man had stolen merchandise from the store and was confronted by two employees as he attempted to leave. One of the employees was an armed special police officer.
During the confrontation, the man allegedly assaulted the employees and sprayed them with pepper spray before gaining control of the officer’s firearm. He fired one round, striking a bystander who was not involved in the confrontation, police said.
The special police officer regained control of the firearm, and the suspect fled the scene on an orange scooter. Police said he was last seen riding toward West Virginia Avenue or Okie Street NE.
The bystander and the special police officer were taken to area hospitals for treatment. Police did not provide details about their conditions. The second employee was not injured.
Police released a surveillance image of the suspect Friday and asked for the public’s help identifying him. Authorities described him as wearing an orange high-visibility construction vest and black pants.
Police are offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and indictment in the case.
