HollyMatkinDetroit, MI – A Detroit Police Department (DPD) officer was in critical condition after being shot in the head while responding to a domestic disturbance call on Wednesday night, police said.
An unnamed 43-year-old male suspect was arrested, WXYZ reported.
Officer Glenn Doss, 25, has been with DPD for two years, and is the father of a 9-month-old boy.
His father is also an officer with DPD.
“I’d like for everyone to please pray for my son,” Doss’ father said during a call to the DPD dispatch, according to WXYZ. “He only been on the job for two years and he has been shot in the head, please pray for my son.”
According to The Detroit News, police received a call at approximately 10:30 p.m. from a man who they believe later shot Officer Doss.
During the call, the suspect told the dispatcher “he had just assaulted his wife,” police said.
A female at the residence – possibly the suspect’s daughter – made a second call to the police for help, and said that the man had a gun, and seemed to have had a mental breakdown, Deputy Chief Elvin Barren said.
As police arrived on the scene, they saw an armed man outside who “took a stance whereby he was ready to fire a shot,” First Assistant Police Chief LaShinda Stair said.
Gunfire rang out, and an officer driving one of the patrol cars suddenly realized that his partner, Officer Doss, had been hit as he sat in the passenger seat.
The wounded officer was rushed to a local hospital, where he immediately underwent surgery.
Officer Doss was struck twice by bullets, and another DPD patrol car was also hit, WDIV reported.
The gunman barricaded himself inside a residence, and at one point threatened “suicide by cop,” Deputy Chief Barren said, according to The Detroit News.
He negotiated with a SWAT team for a while before ceasing communication, and was finally driven out of the home with chemical agents at approximately 2:30 a.m. on Thursday.
The gunman, who had at least nine handguns registered in his name, was apprehended without further incident. Police said he had previously been arrested for drugs, but had no convictions in his criminal history.
Officer Doss is a member of the 7th Precinct Special Operations Unit, Commissioner Willie Burton said, according to The Detroit News.
“He’s a great, hard-working officer. Members often see him at community meetings, talking with residents,” Commissioner Burton told the media.
“We’ve had too many losses in our department,” Assistant Police Chief Arnold Williams said from outside of the emergency room doorway. “We’ve had too many injured officers. It’s a hard job and we’re doing it for the community. Sometimes people lose that respect.”
Officer Doss was the third officer to be shot in Michigan on Wednesday.
Another officer was also murdered in Colorado.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Officer Doss and his family, both blood and blue.