A Metro Transit Police officer shot and wounded a carjacking suspect in the Rosslyn area of Arlington, Virginia, on Friday morning after seeing him carjack one person and try to carjack another, authorities say.
A Metro Transit Police officer had been headed to the Rosslyn Metro station at about 11:30 a.m. when the officer “happened upon” a man carjacking someone at N. Nash Street and Fort Myer Drive, Metro Transit Police Chief Michael Anzallo told reporters.
The man unsuccessfully tried to open the door of a car at 19th Street N and Fort Myer Drive, but the driver drove away, Arlington police said.
The suspect then opened the back door of another car and yelled at the driver, who got out, police said.
A Metro Transit Police officer saw the incident and ordered the suspect to get of the car, police said. The suspect complied, but there was a struggle between the officer and suspect as the officer tried to take the suspect into custody, and the suspect ran.
Metro Transit Police chased the suspect and used pepper spray, and the suspect got into an unoccupied trash truck at N. Kent Street and 19th Street N, police said.
A Metro Transit Police officer ordered the suspect to get out of the truck, then shot the suspect at least once, police said.
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The suspect was taken to a hospital with serious injuries but is in stable condition, police said.
The suspect is 30-year-old Mark Anthony Johnson-Crestwell, Arlington County police said Saturday. He's charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle, resisting arrest, obstruction of justice and vehicle trespass.
Traffic camera footage appears to show someone yank open the door of a car sitting in traffic. An officer appears to confront him. The suspect lies on the ground but then gets up and tries to run away. The video does not show the moment the officer opened fire.
The Metro Transit Police chief thanked his officers for their response.
“I do want to thank the officers. They did a good job. They prevented these crimes that were in progress, and nobody else got hurt,” Anzallo said.
Police cars and emergency vehicles flooded the area, which is home to office buildings and restaurants. Streets were shut down.
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A man staying in a seventh-floor hotel room nearby said he heard a shot, a scream and then orders shouted by police.
“Not what you’re expecting to see first thing in the morning,” he said. “[...] Unfortunately, it seems like the norm sometimes these days."
Anyone with potentially relevant information is asked to contact police.
Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.
