Wilmington police are investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred Tuesday afternoon on the city's East Side. The shooting happened about 1 p. Police did not elaborate on the circumstances of the shooting but said the man was rushed to a local hospital, where he is listed as "stable.
One man, who did not want to give his name, said he was standing near the corner of East 10th and Kirkwood streets when he noticed police driving around the block a couple of times. On one of those turns, the man said he saw probation and parole officers jump out of a police vehicle and move toward a blue car that was parked near East Ninth Street.
It drove onto the sidewalk and hit at least two parked cars, the man said. The car came to a stop after hitting a tree stump at the corner of East 10th and Kirkwood streets. As the driver got out of the car to flee, a police officer shot the man in the head through the passenger-side window, the witness said.
Police handcuffed the man, which is common practice during police shootings, and performed first aid until paramedics arrived. An evidence marker rested near a pile of clothing not too far from the car.
According to first responder radio communications, East 10th Street and numerous blocks around it were closed as a result of the shooting. One woman radioed to fellow first responders that the area was blocked off because "the cops are having a shootout with somebody. About an hour after the shooting occurred, much of the area was still blocked off.
