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Police: Hopewell officers open fire after suspect rams cruisers

Posted at 6:12 PM, Oct 13, 2013
and last updated 2013-10-14 06:47:47-04

CHESTER, Va. (WTVR) -- State police are investigating an officer-involved shooting and police chase Sunday afternoon that sent a suspect and two Hopewell police officers to the hospital.

Eyewitnesses told CBS 6 News' Joe St. George they heard numerous gunshots in Hopewell around 5 p.m.

Chesterfield police said the incident started when the driver of a Dodge pickup truck slammed into a building in the center of Hopewell and took off.

As officers responded, the driver rammed head-on into a Hopewell police officer's cruiser. The officer opened fire as the vehicle spun away.

Officials said about two or three blocks away, another Hopewell officer was waiting for the suspect. But the pickup driver again rammed the officer's car. As a result, that officer also fired shots at the vehicle as it drove away.

Hopewell officer-involved shooting

Hopewell police cruiser with front-end smashed Sunday afternoon.

Police chased the driver down Route 10 before he came to a stop along the road near the Hopewell-Chesterfield County line.

That's where the suspect climbed out of the truck, which Joe St. George reports was riddled with bullet holes.

Officers attempted to use a Taser on the suspect, but discovered he had already been shot in the elbow.

The suspect, who was arrested on the median, was taken to VCU Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.

Additionally, both officers that were hit by the truck were also taken to the hospital.

"The first officer is still being checked out. He may have some broken bones. The second officer may have a bump to his knee,” Hopewell Police Chief John Keohane said.

Keohane also said one of the officer's cruisers, seen in photos with a damaged front-end, was totaled in the crash.

Virginia State Police are leading the investigation into the incident.

Check back with WTVR.com and stay with CBS 6 News  for updates on this story.