3 officers shot in Washington while attempting to make an animal cruelty arrest

WASHINGTON (AP) — Three police officers were shot in Washington and a fourth suffered minor injuries while trying to make an animal cruelty arrest Wednesday morning.

The three officers suffered gunshot wounds in the hand and foot, Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith said. They were being treated at area hospitals, per the Metropolitan Police Department. The fourth officer was hurt at the scene, but not shot.

The shooter remained barricaded inside a home in the southeast part of the city and continued firing shots hours after opening fire on police, a police spokeswoman said.

Officers were attempting to make an arrest on an animal cruelty warrant, but the suspect refused to leave the home, police said. As officers tried to get inside, a person opened fire.

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“This remains an active situation and the individual has continued to fire from that location,” Smith said.

Crisis negotiators were speaking to the suspect, Smith said as she pushed lawmakers to pass legislation that would strengthen penalties for gun offenses in the