Police have "persons of interest" after a Baltimore police detective shot himself during an investigation over a carjacking.
The entire incident happened late Wednesday night in Baltimore's Cherry Hill neighborhood in the 1000 block of Bethune Rd.
Police received a call for a carjacking in the 200 block of Grindall St. in the Federal Hill neighborhood when two women were forced out of their car by three males. The vehicle was followed by Citi Watch cameras to Bethune Rd., where two detectives approached the 2011 CRV before one suspect ran from the passenger seat.
At some point, the detective in the passenger seat of the police vehicle shot himself in the hand, police said.
Initially, Deputy Commissioner Jason Johnson said, they believed the detective -- a 15 year department veteran -- was shot by one of the suspects.
"Our investigation which began immediately thereafter and continued through the night and through the morning has now concluded that, in fact, the officer had an accidental discharge ... of his own firearm and struck himself in the hand," Johnson said.
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Thursday, police said the three male suspects involved may be juveniles and that, after an investigation and review by a performance board, the officer could face discipline or re-training.
As to why there was no immediate announcement the officer had been shot by his gun and not a that of a suspects, Johnson said investigators began to "suspect" the weapon discharge was accidental, but they waited to be sure.
"The confirmation that, in fact, it was an accidental discharge did not occur until late (Thursday) morning," said Johnson.
Police said there have been a number of carjackings in the Federal Hill area. Suspects then take the cars to Cherry Hill, according to police.
The detective involved in the shooting will face a performance review board. He has not been identified and remains on medical leave.
