Police said an officer shot at an oncoming car after at least 1 person opened fire on patrolmen who interrupted a possible firefight.
SPRINGFIELD – A police officer shot at an oncoming car after at least one person opened fire on patrolmen who interrupted a possible firefight early Sunday morning, police said.
The officers were not injured in the incident, but two people believed to be bystanders were treated at the hospital for gunshot wounds. Neither person had serious injuries, Springfield Police Capt. William P. Collins said.
“There were a lot of people in the area. The victims did not believe they were the intended targets,” he said.
At about 2 a.m., two officers who were on special duty patrolling the downtown area heard multiple gunshots. They walked to the area near Barnes and Hillman streets, where they saw people shooting, Collins said.
“They observed muzzle flashes indicating shots were being fired at them. One officer said he could hear the sound of bullets going by,” Collins said.
The officers saw one man, who was armed with a gun, hide behind a mini-van.
Shortly afterward, a car with three black men in it drove by the mini-van, and at one of the officers. That officer could not get a safe shot because of bystanders so he did not attempt to fire at the driver, who was holding a gun, Collins said.
The same car, a metallic blue Acura, then swerved toward the second officer, who did fire at the car. The driver and two passengers sped away and officers called for assistance in chasing them, Collins said.
Police patrolling later in an unmarked car did spot the car in the city, but the driver managed to evade them, Collins said.
Detectives and the police internal investigations division are investigating the shooting, he said.