A Kentucky police officer was shot by a homeowner who mistook him for a prowler Wednesday morning.
Owensboro Police Officer Zachary Morris responded to a call of a suspicious person possibly breaking into parked vehicles in the area of Hathaway and 6th Street around 5:30 a.m., according to The Owensboro Times.
The 23-year-old officer observed a person matching the description in the area and began pursuing him after the suspect fled on foot.
Morris lost sight of the fleeing suspect behind some houses in the 500 block of Hathaway Street and as the officer was checking a fenced-in area, the homeowner of the residence opened fire, wounding him.
Officer Morris, a two-year veteran of the force, was wearing a ballistic vest but was struck in the lower abdominal area. He was transported to Owensboro Health Regional Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery and is listed in good condition.
The Kentucky State Police Critical Incident Response Team is helping detectives determine what transpired during the incident. The homeowner was detained for questioning and no charges have been filed.
