After a carjacking suspect died while being transported in an ambulance that broke down, News4’s Erika Gonzalez took a hard look at the District’s past experiences with ill-timed EMS responses.
Police shot and killed a carjacking suspect in an incident in which a D.C. police officer was injured in Southeast Wednesday afternoon, police confirmed.
The victim of the alleged armed carjacking flagged down two police officers about 2:15 p.m., D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier said at the scene. Police found the car in the 800 block of Barnaby Street SE, where the suspect got out and shots were fired, News4's David Culver reported.
The suspect, identified as 34-year-old Nathaniel McRae of northwest D.C., was shot by police and died. Three officers were at the scene when McRae was shot. Police did not say how many officers discharged their weapons.
The officer suffered non-life threatening injuries and was not grazed by a bullet, as earlier reported.
As McRae was being rushed to a hospital, the ambulance broke down and a second ambulance was dispatched to take him the rest of the way, News4's Pat Collins reported. D.C. Fire told News4's Mark Segraves the breakdown did not cause the man's death.
Nearby Early Childhood Academy Public Charter School was locked down. News4 spoke to a man who picked up his godson at the school.
"Obviously it makes me scared around this neighborhood because it's already kind of rough when I pick him up," he said.
The Ferebee-Hope Community School complex is around the corner from the shooting, Culver reported.
Barnaby Street resident Tanisha Brown told News4 she heard about 10 shots and walked to the scene.
"I was walking out of my apartment complex and I heard gunshots but I didn't pay no mind," she said. "I thought it was firecrackers."
When she saw several police officers arriving in the neighborhood, she walked toward the scene and saw a sheet over a body on the ground.
"I think it's sad," Brown said. "There's too much killing in Southeast, period. It's just terrible. I just can't ever imagine myself getting that call home saying that my child was dead. It's really sad."
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Officers blocked Barnaby Street to investigate. Metro warned that buses in the area may be rerouted and face delays.
