2 Cops Hurt, Suspect Killed In Detroit Shootout

DETROIT (WWJ) - Two Detroit police officers were wounded and a suspect was killed in a shootout on Detroit's west side.

Both officers were rushed to Henry Ford Hospital for treatment. One of the wounded officers was back home with his family Wednesday morning while the other remained hospitalized in critical condition.

The shooting shortly after 6 p.m. Tuesday during a homicide investigation in the area of Linwood and West Grand Boulevard, just north of I-94.

Interim Police Chief Chester Logan said the officers were following a vehicle carrying a suspect in a March 28 homicide involving a marijuana ring. He said the officers tried to make a traffic stop when the suspect hit the gas, prompting a two-mile chase that came to a deadly conclusion.

"The vehicle was finally stopped at Linwood and Hooker when the suspect in the homicide fired shots at the officers, who returned fire. Two officers were shot. The suspect was fatally wounded," he said.

According to some media reports, one officer was shot in the head, and the other was shot in the leg. But, at a Tuesday evening news conference, Logan would not confirm that.

Two other people in the suspect vehicle were arrested. The suspect killed, identified as 23-year-old Matthew Joseph of Detroit, was wanted for a drug-related murder.

The unidentified officers were out of the tenth precinct, part of a new program recently announced by the mayor with state and federal law enforcement to target violent criminals. Sgt. Eren Stephens said the critically wounded officer is a 12-year veteran on the force and the other officer is a sergeant with 24 years with the department.

WWJ Newsradio 950's Stephanie Davis said the area -- which is across the street from a police academy -- was "swamped" with police officers well into the evening.

Stay with WWJ Newsradio 950 for the latest.