(Courtesy: Lincoln Police Department)
Lincoln Police have identified the name of the officer who was involved in a shooting incident earlier this week.
Officer Joseph Kernan was conducting a traffic stop near 19th and Knox Streets on Sunday, December 17th. While doing so, the driver of the 2006 Hyundai Azera took off and pulled into a parking lot of an apartment complex.
Acting Police Chief Michon Morrow said Officer Kernan pursued the Hyundai as it turned into a dead end, where the driver then reversed, hit a retaining wall, and slammed into a parked vehicle.
Officer Kernan was out of the cruiser at that point in time. Acting Chief Morrow says, “The driver then accelerates in the direction of our officer. Two rounds were fired, striking the vehicle,” before the car hit some larger landscaping rocks and drove off.
The officer was not hurt, and the suspect is not thought to be injured. Police believe they have identified the suspect, with the investigation ongoing.
Officer Kernan was placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure for an officer-involved shooting incident.
The vehicle that was struck with gunfire was later found, abandoned, on Sunday night near 9th and Manatt in northwest Lincoln.