Camden County police officer shot, suspects sought

A Camden County police officer is shot during a streetside investigation, and a search is under way for suspects.

Police declined to identify the officer who was hit in the arm by a bullet fragment as he drove along Kenwood Avenue around 11:30 PM, but said that he began pursuing for the suspects while wounded.

According to police, the wounded officer was involved in a special detail targeting violent crime. He began monitoring a vehicle that appeared suspicious, which suddenly stopped and then parked on Kenwood, authorities said.

Several people inside the car emerged and began to quickly move from it. As the officer drove toward the area, one of the occupants opened fire, hitting his car with several rounds. The officer sought cover and did not return fire, police said.

He was treated at Cooper University Medical Center.

In a prepared statement, Chief Scott Thomson praised the officer's "grace under fire and presence of mind" in quickly coordinating perimeters and launching a hunt for the suspects.

"We will not rest until we apprehend the individual and his co-conspirators who attempted to kill a police officer. This incident is a sobering reminder of the dangers police officers face every day as we attempt to remove the most violent individuals from the streets for the community's safety," Thomson said.