NEW BEDFORD, MASS. (WHDH) - A New Bedford police detective who suffered a gunshot wound to the face was released from a hospital according to his police department, just days after being struck while working in the city’s South End.
Detective Lavar Gilbert had been working undercover and in an unmarked car on Monday, July 17, when shots were fired in the area of Rivet and Orchard streets, hitting Gilbert and his vehicle, according to New Bedford PD.
Officials said the detective remained conscious after being shot in the face and that he was able to drive himself to a hospital.
According to Massachusetts State Police, the officer’s assignment that night had put Gilbert in close proximity to a suspect(s) who shot at another party. In a statement, MSP Colonel John Mawn Jr. said both Gilbert and another person suffered non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.
New Bedford police said there was no indication that the detective was targeted during the shooting or that there was any ongoing threat to safety in the surrounding Goulart Square neighborhood.
In an update on the department’s Facebook page, officials said that Gilbert was discharged from a hospital in Boston on Friday and that he would require a follow-up procedure in the near future as he continues to make progress.
Officials also noted that the investigation into Monday’s shooting remained active and that police were following up on “numerous leads.”
“Massachusetts State Police Troopers assigned to the district attorney’s office and federal ATF agents are working in tandem with NBPD investigators as we work towards closing this case,” New Bedford PD stated. “If the public has any information regarding this incident, they are strongly encouraged to reach out on our website, Facebook page, or by calling 508-99-CRIME. This can be done anonymously.”
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