Dallas police are investigating an officer-involved shooting that took place on Wednesday in the southeastern part of the city.
An officer was called just before 10 a.m. to the Red Crown Inn in the 9600 block of CF Hawn Freeway in Pleasant Grove. That’s near the intersection of U.S. Highway 175 and St. Augustine Drive. He was investigating a report of stolen items.
The man in the room allegedly shot at the responding officer, who returned fire, Dallas Public Information Officer Kristin Lowman said Wednesday.
The man was hospitalized in critical condition, the public information officer said.
Dallas PD’s officer was not injured.
Both the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office and Office of Community Police Oversight have been notified and have responded, Lowman said.
The exchange of gunfire occurred in Dallas City Council District 5, represented by Jaime Resendez.
Crime continues to rise in Dallas as the police department struggles with a severe staffing issue. An analysis estimating that Dallas needs 4,000 officers to be adequately policed suggests that the City is currently short by about 900 officers.
Citywide, non-family murders in Dallas have increased by more than 11% year over year as of Tuesday, according to the most recent daily crime briefing from the Dallas Police Department.
Nearby Fort Worth has implemented dedicated units to patrol downtown alongside private security, and the city has seen a lower rate of crime than Downtown Dallas.