Chattanooga officer’s vest stopped bullet; suspect still on run

A Chattanooga police officer who was shot three times last week was wearing a bullet-resistant vest.

The vest stopped at least one of the bullets, police confirmed Monday.

The officer, who has not been identified, was shot Thursday morning while checking on an abandoned building that is known for criminal activity, including trespassing and drug crimes, police said.

“That officer was being proactive in his patrol duties,” Chattanooga police Chief Fred Fletcher said in a Monday news conference. “He was being the type of community policing officer that you would want patrolling your neighborhood.”

The officer saw a man walking away from the building, police said. The man turned around and shot the officer. At least three bullets stuck the officer, and at least one round was stopped by the vest.

The officer returned fire, the chief said. It is not known if the suspect was hit.

The shooting led to a five-hour manhunt but the suspect was not captured, the Chattanooga Times Free Press reported.

Chattanooga police do not have body cameras, and the incident was not captured by the dashboard camera in the officer’s patrol vehicle, according to police.

The reward for information leading to the suspect’s conviction is up to $11,500.