A police officer in Cranston, Rhode Island discharged their firearm at a suspect's vehicle after being struck by the vehicle while attempting to apprehend alleged shoplifters. The incident unfolded last night following a report of shoplifting at the Garden City Shopping Center around 5:16 p.m., according to The Boston Globe.

After the report was made, a description of the suspect's vehicle and its license plate number were communicated to patrol officers. One officer, spotting the vehicle at a red light on Reservoir Avenue, south of the Route 10 on-ramp in Providence, approached and opened the driver's door and demanded the occupants to exit, as reported by NECN. The female passenger allegedly instructed the male driver to flee, and in the ensuing escape, the vehicle hit the officer. The officer then fired a single shot from their gun.

The suspects managed to evade capture and were last seen heading north on Route 10 near Niantic Avenue. The vehicle involved in the incident has not been located. The officer, meanwhile, sustained injuries from the encounter and was taken to Kent Hospital in Warwick for treatment but was later released.

An extensive investigation is now ongoing, spearheaded by a multi-agency investigative team comprised of members from the Cranston Police Department, Rhode Island State Police, and the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office, among others. At the time of this report, the alleged shoplifters remain at large.