By Candice Williams
Source The Detroit News
Two suspects were taken into police custody Monday after a man with a rifle allegedly fired multiple shots at an undercover officer.
According to the Dearborn Police Department, police responded to a call around 6 a.m. Monday of a vehicle stolen in the city of Dearborn. Within minutes, police located the vehicle and followed it to the area of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Roosevelt Street in Detroit.
As an undercover Dearborn police officer was conducting surveillance of the stolen vehicle, a man with a rifle approached the officer's unmarked car and fired multiple shots. At least one round penetrating the windshield, police said. The officer was not injured.
"The suspect shot into the unmarked police vehicle and ran," MSP wrote on its Twitter page. "The officer was able to leave the scene and was not hurt."
The officer did not return fire, police said.
The Detroit Police Department and Michigan State Police are investigating the shooting. Detectives had two suspects in custody and were in the process of interviewing them, according to police.
"Losing a vehicle to theft can be devastating for a household and to residents' ability to provide for their families," Dearborn Police Chief Issa Shahin said in a statement. "This is why our officers go to extraordinary lengths to resolve these crimes, despite grave danger to themselves. In this case, our investigative officers instantaneously identified a vehicle stolen from our city and took direct gunfire in the process of holding the perpetrators accountable. We are incredibly fortunate this did not end in tragedy. I applaud our officers for excellent police work, and I ask the public to pray for their continued safety in protecting the lives and livelihoods of Dearborn residents."
On Tuesday, Michigan State Police Lt. Michael Shaw said the owner of the stolen vehicle called the police to report it had been taken. The owner also placed an Apple AirTag tracker on the vehicle.
Shaw said the Dearborn police officer had driven past the stolen vehicle parked in front of a residence twice to confirm it was the car for which authorities were searching. Two men were standing in front of the home, he said. The second time one of the men opened fire on the undercover police officer's vehicle with an undetermined weapon.
One of the rounds passed through the hood of the officer's sweatshirt and into the headrest of the rear seat, according to Shaw.
He said police obtained search warrants for the house and another and recovered four weapons from inside them. They arrested the two men in connection with the shooting as well as a third man for outstanding warrants, Shaw said.
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