GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. -- Officials say two officers were shot in Gwinnett County Friday afternoon. One officer is accused of trying to assault a woman and then opening fire on another officer who tried to stop it.
Investigators from the Gwinnett, Fulton and Duluth Police Departments are all involved and looking into the circumstances around what appears to be a gun battle between two police officers.
“As soon as I heard the shots, I was out here in about 45 seconds or less,” said witness Beth Caraker.
Right before shots were fired, Chuck Sheldt was driving by a gold car. “I noticed this car was on the side of the road and it looked like a gentleman was trying to get in the car. He appeared to have a bulletproof vest on when he was trying to get in the car. I thought he was an officer,” said Sheldt.
Sheldt came back around to see if he could help. “Her car window was busted out and she was screaming at the top of her lungs. She said she just needed help and that the gentleman tried to rape her,” said Sheldt.
VIDEO: Police Officers Exchange Gunfire With Each Other
Then he said he came face to face with that man. "The gentleman that was trying to bang on her trying to get into her window, he pulled out a gun and he pointed it at my truck at the time. And that's about all I can tell you. I just floored my truck and tried to get out of there,” Sheldt said.
When the off-duty Fulton County officer got the scene, shots were fired. The officer and the suspect were hit. The woman in the gold car wasn’t hit but did need medical attention. Police soon got information about the man who opened fire on the Fulton County officer.
"This male we do now know and confirm he is a Duluth PD officer. At the time he was wearing civilian clothing. Other than that, we do not have any other information to give,” said Cpl. Illana Spellman with the Gwinnett County Police Department.
Both the Fulton County and Duluth officers were taken to Gwinnett Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. Duluth Police told Channel 2’s Rachel Kim they have begun their investigation and they do not have a comment right now.
