D.C. police shot and wounded a robbery suspect after he stole a woman’s purse and attempted to flee the scene in Southeast, D.C. on Feb. 7, the Metropolitan Police Department said. The race of both parties could not be established by the AFRO before press time.
According to a press release, Eric Cuthbertson, a 50-year-old man of no fixed address, robbed a woman inside of Good Hope Institute, a drug addiction treatment center in Anacostia around 8 a.m.
Police said Cuthbertson snatched the victim’s handbag and ran in the 1300 block of Good Hope Road, SE. Two witnesses chased after the suspect until the robber turned around and waved a gun at them telling the two witnesses to “back off.”
The suspect continued to run and the witnesses flagged down nearby officers for help.
According to police reports, Authorities were able to stop the robber and ordered him to drop his weapon. Cuthbertson refused to follow the officers’ commands and officials struck him with gunfire. No officers or pedestrians were injured in the incident.
Cuthbertson was arrested on the scene and transported to a local hospital to be treated for serious injuries, police said.
Officers recovered the robber’s weapon, a black BB gun that resembled an actual firearm.
Cuthbertson faces assault with a dangerous weapon, armed robbery and assault on a police officer while armed.
The immediate area has had three robberies and two assaults with a dangerous weapon in 2017.
Rachel Reid, a spokesperson for the department told the AFRO on Feb. 14 that the police department does not comment on the race of suspects or officers. The Internal Affairs Bureau is investigating the case and the officers involved in the shooting were put on administrative leave.
Reid told the AFRO this is the second officer involved shooting of 2017.