Man shot by Detroit police undercover on drag racing detail

Detroit — A man is in temporary serious condition after he was shot Friday night by Detroit police officers undercover on a drag racing detail.

Officers assigned to the Violent Crime Reduction Initiative were working the area of E. Seven Mile Road near Gruebner Avenue in an unmarked vehicle at about 11:45 p.m. when another vehicle nearly struck them, according to a police report.  

The undercover officers followed the vehicle and asked dispatch to deploy uniformed officers, but before a marked car arrived, the man stopped his vehicle near a home on Rowe Street and exited his vehicle with a gun, police said. 

The undercover officers identified themselves and ordered the man to put down the gun when the man fired a shot, police said. The officers then returned fire. 

The man was taken to a local hospital. He was later discharged and transported to the Detroit Detention Center for processing. No officers were hurt.

The officers have been placed on administrative leave and Michigan State Police will lead the investigation along with the Homicide and the Professional Standards Bureau, which is the department's protocol for officer-involved shootings.

The Detroit Police Department is also working with the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office on the case.