Newport News detectives on leave after shootout

Two Newport News police detectives involved in a shootout Monday night in Hampton have been placed on a temporary administrative assignment pending a complete investigation, a city police spokesperson said.

Hampton police said the detectives were in an unmarked police cruiser in the 1300 block of Patrick Street around 10:20 p.m.

They were following a vehicle and in search of a person named in a warrant when the vehicle stopped and a number of people got out at fired at the detectives, who returned fire. The detectives were uninjured, but the police vehicle was struck.

The warrant charged the person with evading and eluding police, reckless handling of a firearm, reckless driving, failure to appear in court and contempt of court, a Hampton police spokesperson said. Hampton’s

Major Crimes Unit is handling the investigation of the shootout.

It is not uncommon for detectives to pursue an investigation into another jurisdiction, a Newport News police spokesperson said. The detectives were not engaged in a chase, and its unclear they were trying to stop the vehicle.

Hampton police also are investigating a shooting that may be related. At 10:42 p.m. the same night, a 19-year-old Hampton man walked into a local hospital with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. Hampton police believe the man’s injuries may be connected to the shootout. The connection between the two incidents had not been confirmed as of Wednesday afternoon, a Hampton spokesperson said.

Hampton police declined to release body camera footage from the Newport News detectives, or other officers, citing the ongoing investigation.