DETROIT — A Detroit police officer and a man with an assault weapon were fatally shot on the west side of the city Wednesday night, Detroit Police Chief James White said.
White said the officer and his partner responded to a call from a man firing a weapon at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. He said when the officers arrived they were met by the man, who was armed with an assault weapon and fired at them.
White said an officer was hit and his partner returned fire, fatally killing the man. The beaten officer was later pronounced dead at a hospital.
“It is with a heavy heart…I have to inform our department and our community that we have lost one of our heroes today,” White told reporters outside the hospital. “A very sad and tragic event.”
The officer killed was not immediately identified, but White said he was a five-year veteran with the department and “comes from a long history of law enforcement.” White said the agent’s father recently retired.
“The officers are heartbroken,” White said.
Further details were not immediately available. An investigation is underway.