Two Bradenton Police officers were hospitalized early Sunday after being struck by a suspect’s vehicle outside a local convenience store, Bay News 9 reported.
The incident unfolded at approximately 3:20 a.m. at the Wawa store located at 1st Street and 6th Avenue East in Bradenton. According to the Bradenton Police Department, officers arrived at the scene following reports of a man with a gun harassing customers.
When authorities arrived, the suspect hit two officers with his car while attempting to flee the area. Two additional officers fired shots at the vehicle as it sped away, investigators said.
OFFICERS INJURED: Two Bradenton Police Officers are in the hospital after investigators said they were struck by a vehicle. It happened around 3:20 a.m. Sunday at the Wawa convenience store on 1st Street and 6th Avenue East. pic.twitter.com/rdUNusUrrQ
The suspect led multiple law enforcement agencies on a pursuit toward the Sunshine Skyway Bridge before looping back into Bradenton. The chase ended when the vehicle crashed at 1st Street and 10th Avenue West, according to police.
Authorities identified the driver as 35-year-old Dejerrian D. Murray. Murray sustained minor injuries during the incident, was treated and released from the hospital, and was subsequently booked into the Manatee County jail.
Court records show Murray faces a series of felony charges, including two counts of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon, fleeing or attempting to elude an officer at high speed or with wanton disregard, hit-and-run resulting in serious bodily injury, hit-and-run with injury, reckless driving causing serious bodily injury, violation of probation, and resisting arrest without violence.
A senior patrol officer remains hospitalized in the intensive care unit with a traumatic brain injury, police stated. A second officer sustained a lower-body injury and has since been released from the hospital.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement responded to the scene to investigate the officer-involved shooting, which is standard procedure. Both the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Highway Patrol assisted the Bradenton Police Department in the multi-agency pursuit.
Authorities stated that the investigation remains active and additional information will be released as it becomes available.
Two Bradenton Police officers are hospitalized, one with serious injuries, after being struck by a suspect’s vehicle just after 3:20 a.m. Officers were responding to a report of a man with a gun harassing customers at Wawa, 1st Street and 6th Avenue East. The suspect struck the… pic.twitter.com/03tlh6PNJC
Related reading
Kentucky to Face Kansas in Champions Classic as Tyran Stokes Plays
The Kentucky Wildcats head to the United Center in Chicago on Tuesday, Nov. 10, to face the Kansas...
Inspiring Figures: Remarkable Blind Trailblazers in Hawaii’s History
History books often gloss over the daily grit required simply to survive, let alone thrive, in earlier eras....
Reality Check: Could Highway Tolls Return to Connecticut? – CT Insider
Connecticut drivers can breathe a sigh of relief as highway tolls remain firmly off the table despite a...
When David Miller Picked up the Phone and Heard an AT&T Loyalty Representative Offering Four New
When David Miller picked up the phone and heard an AT&T loyalty representative offering four new iPhones alongside...