Maryland Police Officer Killed in Station Ambush

A 28-year-old officer was shot and killed in an unprovoked attack on Sunday after a suspect opened fire in a Maryland police station.

According to authorities, the suspected assailant launched an unprovoked attack on the police station and officers returned fire. The man was arrested on the scene. A second suspect was with the gunman, but fled the scene when gunfire began. He was found and taken into custody following a search of the area, shared Prince George County Police Chief Henry Stawinski.

The suspects were not identified immediately.

“It wasn’t about anything,” Stawinski told reporters at a news conference outside the hospital. “Officers weren’t in the process of apprehending him or engaging him in any way. They were going about their business on a Sunday afternoon, at their home, when they were attacked.”

The victim of the shooting has been identified as Jacai Colson, a four-year veteran of the police department. Colson would have celebrated his 29^th birthday later this week, shared KTLA.

“My understanding is he opened fire on the first officer he saw and then continued that conduct as officers became aware of what was going on, and then several officers engaged him,” Stawinski continued.

Officers line up to pay respect to their fallen brother, Officer Jacai Colson #3693. #LODD pic.twitter.com/44o1iGu6cI

— PGPDNEWS (@PGPDNews) March 14, 2016

An eyewitness shared with The Washington Post that she thought she heard “firecrackers outside.”

“He fired one shot, and then he started pacing back and forth, then fired another shot,” shared Lascelles Grant, a nurse who lives close by to the incident.

Police are questioning the suspects and believe no others were involved in the shooting. Authorities have described the second suspect as being the gunman’s brother.

Fraternal Order of Police President John Telechea called the attacks “unwarranted, unprovoked, unprecedented and unacceptable,” shared KTLA.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan shared in a statement that he was “shocked and saddened” by Colson’s killing. Hogan has ordered flags to fly at half-staff in Colson’s memory.