D.C. police officers who “may have been racing” police vehicles were involved in a crash and injured on Thursday, the Metropolitan Police Department said Sunday night.
The officers crashed in the 1400 block of Anacostia Road NE, the department said in a statement.
"Preliminarily, it appears the members may have been racing the vehicles, resulting in an accident," MPD said.
A report released Monday revealed two cars were traveling south side by side at a “high rate of speed” in the 1500 block of Anacostia Avenue NE. They were in a 25 mph zone. The outside driver tried to make a left turn in front of the other car, onto Polk Street NE, and the two collided.
We've got the news you need to know to start your day. Sign up for the First & 4Most morning newsletter — delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.
Four Sixth District officers were taken to hospitals with injuries not believed to be life-threatening.
"Both vehicles were disabled and towed by ANT Towing to the MPD shop on West Virginia Avenue Northeast," the report reads.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said it would be “unacceptable” if officers were racing and putting the public, themselves and government property at risk.
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
“If we had officers who were engaging in this dangerous behavior, it would be in my view a dereliction of their duty, and they have to be held accountable,” she said at an unrelated news conference.
It wasn’t immediately clear what time the crash occurred, how badly the vehicles were damaged or what kind of punishment the officers could face. The officers, whose names were not released, were placed on “non-contact” status pending an investigation.
Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.
