Trending Topics

Ga. cop shot in head, released from hospital

The cop shot one of the suspects and SWAT officers captured two others in a nearby building

ga-swat-285x245.jpg

CNN.com

ATLANTA — A Georgia Capitol police corporal was grazed by a bullet Wednesday afternoon during an exchange of gunfire with a man suspected of being part of a chop shop ring, authorities said.

Three suspects, one of them wounded, were in custody, said Georgia Bureau of Investigation spokesman John Bankhead.

The wounded officer was assisting a state trooper tracking a LoJack device in a suspected stolen motorcycle a few blocks from the Georgia Capitol in downtown Atlanta, Bankhead said. Several motorcycles were in a trailer attached to an SUV in an alley and the suspects were unloading them.

The two officers approached one of the suspects shortly before 2 p.m. at an alleyway. One suspect brandished a weapon and a gun battle ensued, authorities said. The corporal was wounded by gunfire. CNN affiliates WSB-TV and WXIA reported the trooper wounded the suspected shooter shortly afterward.

The police officer suffered a flesh wound in the head and was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital. WSB-TV reported he was released from the hospital.

The injured suspect was taken to the same hospital and underwent surgery, Bankhead said. His condition was not available.

Witnesses recalled a wild scene as swarms of officers looked for the two other suspects, who were found in a building by SWAT officers.

Charges were pending Wednesday evening. The GBI and Atlanta Police Department will determine whether all of the motorcycles were stolen, Bankhead said.

One of the suspects has an uspecified outstanding warrant in Fayette County, south of Atlanta, the GBI said.

Copyright 2010 Cable News Network