A Ferguson police officer was shot in the arm Saturday night after encountering two men at a community center, authorities say.
At a briefing Sunday morning, St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar said the officer approached the men just after 9 p.m. because the community center was closed. As the officer approached the suspects, they ran away. Belmar said when the officer gave chase, “one of the men turned and shot,” hitting the cop in the arm.
The officer returned fire but police have “no indication” that either suspect was shot. Belmar said the officer is expected to survive.
A search for the suspects was still underway Sunday morning in Ferguson.
In a separate incident later in the evening, the St. Louis County Police Department received a call about another shooting involving an off-duty officer on Interstate 70. Authorities say the officer was driving his personal vehicle when a car pulled alongside with three suspects and the assailants began shooting.
The vehicle was struck multiple times, but the officer was not hit. He sustained minor injuries from broken glass and was treated at a local hospital.
Photo courtesy of David Carson/St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Authorities say there is no reason to believe the two shootings were related.