Officer on leave after firing weapon

A Metro Police officer remains on paid administrative leave today after firing a single shot at, and missing, one of two 17-year-old boys fleeing a house where narcotics officers and FBI agents served a search warrant Tuesday night.

Authorities have withheld the minors' names. Police said the teen the officer shot at was booked for trafficking in a controlled substance and obstructing a police officer -- charges still pending formal court approval. The other teen was released from custody after the incident.

The identity of the officer involved in the shooting has been withheld per department policy until 48 hours after the incident.

The incident happened about 9:10 p.m. outside an apartment in the 200 block of West Monroe Avenue where police and FBI agents on the Weed and Seed Task Force had gone after an ongoing investigation to determine if weapons and drugs were inside.

Officers were about to enter the apartment when two people ran out the front, one on foot and the other taking off on a bike.

A Metro officer and an FBI agent were attempting to get out of an unmarked car while ordering the suspects to stop when the boy on foot turned toward the car, "lifted the front of his shirt and reached toward his waistband," said Lt. Wayne Petersen.

Thinking that the suspect was pulling out a weapon, the officer fired at and missed the teen who was a few feet away from the car, Petersen said. Police said they found narcotics on the boy while taking him into custody.

archive