Off-Duty Officer Shoots, Wounds Man Outside NW Nightclub

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From the Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...?nav=rss_metro)

By Nick Miroff and Martin Weil
Washington Post Staff Writers
Saturday, October 20, 2007; Page B02

An off-duty D.C. police officer shot and wounded a man last night during a confrontation apparently touched off by an armed carjacking attempt in the Shaw area of Northwest Washington, D.C. police said.

The wounded man, who was hit several times, was taken to a hospital. His condition was not immediately known, but it appeared that he remained conscious. The officer, who was not identified immediately, was not shot, police said.

The officer was apparently providing security at one of the nightclubs in the area when the incident began about 8:30 p.m., police said.

While outside the club, the officer observed what appeared to be an attempt to seize an occupied car at gunpoint.

The officer tried to intervene in the carjacking, but the car drove off, apparently with the gunman inside. It was not clear whether the original occupant also remained in the vehicle.

As the officer pursued the vehicle, someone jumped from the car. During the ensuing confrontation, shots were fired, police said.

They said the wounded man, who had reportedly been struck at least twice, was found in the area and was taken to the hospital.

The car that was the object of the carjacking attempt drove off, and police were searching for it last night.

D.C. police officers are required to carry firearms at all times in the city, whether on or off duty.

Why are they REQUIRED to carry firearms? For protection? But they deny that right to everybody else that wants to legally carry...
Aren't the police there to help you? (sarcasm)