Three D.C. police officers left a hospital to applause a day after they were shot and wounded on the job in Southeast D.C.
A large crowd of Metropolitan Police Department officers greeted the three wounded officers outside MedStar Washington Hospital Center on Thursday morning.
One officer walked out with his right arm bandaged as he held a woman’s hand. Another used a wheelchair and had a blanket draped over his lap as he smiled, waved and shook hands with colleagues. A third man walked out holding a woman’s hand and hugged the officers there to greet him.
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Chief of Police Pamela Smith said the officers’ release marks a “great day.”
“It’s a good feeling when we can see our officers walking out of the hospital or even going out in a wheelchair,” she said.
Smith said she offered her support and the officers said they would return to work.
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“One of them shouted out to me, ‘Don’t worry, chief. We’ll be right back,’” she said.
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Police say an animal cruelty suspect shot the officers as they tried to serve him with an arrest warrant early Wednesday. He remained barricaded in a home on Hanna Place SE for 13 hours and continued to fire gunshots. Nearly schools were locked down and entire city blocks were closed.
Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.
