DETROIT (WXYZ) — "I need medics now. I'm shot," said a Detroit Police officer as he radioed for help early Friday morning.
Just after midnight, police were in the area of Morang and Whitehill on Detroit's east side to investigate apparent gunshots that had been detected by ShotSpotter.
Upon arriving, someone notified police that there were three men inside a nearby building that is supposed to be vacant.
Police said the building was being used for an illegal grow operation.
As police were investigating the perimeter of the building, three men can be seen on surveillance video from a nearby business trying to hide from officers by ducking down behind some parked vehicles.
The three men then head out of the camera's view toward a tall fence and, based on the video's audio, it appears they jumped the fence that leads to the alley where the officers were investigating.
Moments later, you hear a series of gunshots. One round strikes the officer in his calf and his partners return fire. It's possible the shooter or one of his accomplices was hit.
"I don't know what the world is coming to. It's crazy," said Leatha Christon who lives nearby. "I mean if you would turn a gun on police officers, you will turn a gun on anybody."
Shortly after the shooting, Police Chief James White told reporters that they are searching for the three suspects who escaped the immediate area.
And, by late Friday afternoon, police had surrounded a house about a block away as they investigated that trail of blood that may have been from an injured suspect.
"We are encountering violence like we haven't seen, I mean, just extreme violence, impulse decision making," said Chief White, adding that officers are constantly under threat. "But they show up and they do this work to keep this community safe and I couldn't be prouder."
Anyone with any information on the case is urged to contact Detroit Police at 313-596-2260, Michigan State Police, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.
