SPRINGFIELD, MASS. (WHDH) - A suspect has been arrested for shooting a state police trooper in the leg after firing his gun during an altercation with another man in Springfield New Year’s Eve night, authorities said.
A state police trooper and a Springfield police officer responded simultaneously to multiple ShotSpotter activations in the area of 104 Stafford St. just before 11:20 p.m.
They turned onto Nursery Street, which intersects with Stafford Street, to seek the source of the ongoing gunshots that state police say were audible to them.
At that time, a man, later identified as Christopher Gardner, 31, of the Springfield area, fired two rounds at their cruisers, according to state police.
The 26-year-old trooper was struck by one of the rounds in his left leg while still in his cruiser, authorities added.
He exited the cruiser and the Springfield officer provided emergency medical aid, which included applying a tourniquet to the trooper’s leg.
A second trooper arrived at the scene moments later and transported the wounded trooper to Baystate Medical Center.
A short time later, a state police K-9 trooper spotted a man fitting the suspect’s description running on Stafford Street, state police said.
The trooper pursued the suspect on foot into a nearby backyard but lost sight of him.
Springfield police officers soon located and arrested Gardner.
He was briefly treated at a local hospital for a minor injury to his foot and is currently being held at the House of Correction in Ludlow.
Gardner is facing two counts of armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery by discharge of firearm, assault with a dangerous weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm, and discharging a firearm within 50 feet of a building.
He has been ordered held on $150,000 cash bail pending his arraignment Monday in Springfield District Court.
Investigators recovered two handguns from the area of the shooting and interviewed multiple potential witnesses, state police said.
A preliminary investigation indicates that prior to the incident with police, Gardner exchanged gunfire with another man with whom he was involved in an altercation with in a parking lot near the intersection of Nursery and Stafford streets, state police said.
That exchange of gunfire reportedly activated the ShotSpotter alerts.
The other man involved in the alleged altercation has not been located, state police said.
The injured trooper has since been released from the hospital and will remain on injured leave while recovering.
An investigation remains ongoing.
This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.
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