RICHMOND, Va. -- A driver and Richmond Police Officer were injured when they shot each other early Monday morning in Richmond.
The shooting took place at about 3:30 a.m. near Commerce and Stockton streets in South Richmond.
"Officers observed a vehicle driving at a high rate of speed. The vehicle crashed and the driver, who we believe to be the sole occupant, fled from the vehicle at the intersection," a Richmond Police spokesperson wrote in an email. "As an officer attempted to engage the driver in a nearby alley, there was an exchange of gunfire between the driver and the officer."
Police have not yet determined who fired the first shot.
"We do not know. We have reviewed the body-worn camera. We have to determine that. Not hat all interviews have been conducted. That's why it's ongoing," Richmond Police Chief Gerald Smith said in an afternoon press conference.
Police have also not yet said what happened in the critical seconds leading up to the shooting.
"We have not spoken to the officer yet. The officer is under medical treatment at this time, but we will speak to the officer," Smith said. "Anything that I say now would be complete speculation. But in typical situations like that officers react to an active threat."
The driver, identified by police as Dakari Reinhardt, suffered a life-threatening gunshot wound to the chest, according to police.
Reinhardt, 20, is currently being held on warrants out of Richmond for misdemeanor failure to appear and capias, a warrant out of Chesterfield for felony eluding police, and a warrant from Henrico for misdemeanor capias. There will be other charges pending the investigation.
Court records showed Reinhardt was wanted for previously speeding away from a June 2020 traffic stop near the Willey Bridge in Henrico. He was also implicated in a January 2022 crime in which police said he use counterfeit money at the drive-thru of a Williamsburg Road business.
The Richmond Police Officer, who was shot in the hip, suffered injuries that were considered non-life threatening.
"As with all officer-involved shooting incidents, the department is conducting a thorough investigation of the incident," the police spokesperson continued.
Anyone with information was asked to call Major Crimes Detective J. Crewell at 804-646-5324 or Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
