A quiet afternoon in Rock Creek Park turned tense on Thursday when a man allegedly pepper-sprayed United States Park Police officers near Peirce Mill, then bolted into the woods, officials say. Officers later detained a suspect near Beach Drive and Piney Branch Parkway, one officer was treated at the scene, and authorities launched a search of the park for a possible firearm. No other injuries were reported.
What police say
According to the United States Park Police, officers responded around 2:39 p.m. for a report of a man with a gun at Peirce Mill. When officers approached, the man allegedly hit them with oleoresin capsicum spray and ran into the tree line. Police pursued and apprehended a man near the intersection of Beach Drive and Piney Branch Parkway while continuing to comb the area for a possible firearm, WJLA reports.
Where it happened
Peirce Mill, at 2401 Tilden St. NW, anchors a popular cluster of trails, picnic areas and parking lots in northwest Washington, according to the National Park Service. The historic mill and surrounding slopes drop down toward Beach Drive and several wooded trail corridors, giving officers plenty of ground to cover after the suspect ran for cover in the trees.
How to report what you saw
The investigation was still active Thursday evening. Investigators are asking anyone who was in or near the Peirce Mill area and who may have information to contact the United States Park Police. The agency lists a 24-hour Washington dispatch and tip line on its site; call (202) 610-7500 for emergencies or 202-379-4877 to report a non-emergency tip, and call 911 if you see an immediate threat. United States Park Police
