A police detective in New Bedford, Massachusetts, has been recovering in the hospital after being shot in the city's South End while working undercover, according to authorities there.
The detective was shot near the intersection of Rivet Street and Orchard Street Monday night at around 8:45 p.m. while in an unmarked vehicle, according to the New Bedford Police Department. The officer — identified as Detective Lavar Gilbert — was described as a veteran member of the force who was part of the Organized Crime Intelligence Bureau.
NBPD Chief Paul Oliveira said that Gilbert was in his vehicle when shots were suddenly fired, shattering his window and hitting him in the face. Gilbert was able to drive himself to the hospital.
Another man showed up at the emergency room shortly after, Chief Oliveira said, who had been shot in the foot. Police are still investigating the circumstances around that, and that man is also expected to recover.
New Bedford's police chief said no officers shot their guns, and also said that there was no reason to believe Detective Gilbert was specifically targeted.
“Being told that one of your own has been shot is a phone call that no police chief wants to receive, however, I’m extremely grateful that our detective is expected to recover," Chief Oliveira said in a statement. "This is a stark reminder of the dangers that the men and women of law enforcement face on a daily basis as they keep our citizens safe. We are very thankful for the outpouring of support from members of the community, as well as the many law enforcement agencies who have reached out. Please keep our detective and his family in your thoughts as he continues to heal.”
New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell issued a statement following the shooting.
"We are relieved that the detective, who has ably served the department for many years, will make a full recovery, as it was an extremely close call," Mayor Mitchell wrote. "The department is aggressively investigating the matter, with the assistance of state and federal law enforcement agencies. I have full confidence that they will apprehend whoever was responsible for the shooting. This is a reminder of the risks police officers face everyday, and the importance of their work in maintaining public safety in our cities."
A man who owns a pizza shop nearby said he heard four gunshots as a car turned from Orchard onto Rivet. He said it’s not uncommon to see uniformed officers and undercover officers throughout the neighborhood.
“Undercover – there’s a lot of undercover here," he said. "We see them passing around Orchard and Rivet, and police will just stop people at random so it’s not something that you see often, but in terms of New Bedford, you can see it quite often."
The pizza shop owner said he gave police his surveillance video showing the car driving through the intersection. He’s pretty concerned about his family’s safety in light of this shooting.
“It is pretty devastating to hear, I’ve been here since 2004 and having family – my dad and my mom – I know it’s not easy in New Bedford," he said. "It’s sad to hear something like this happen, but we’re not surprised, a tough area to be in, especially when it happens in this general area."
An investigation is ongoing.
There is not believed to be a specific threat to safety in the area.
