:!: --------------------------------------------------------------- Off-duty Seattle cop shoots man who attacked him 10:26 AM PDT on Saturday, June 24, 2006 Associated Press SEATTLE - An off-duty Seattle police officer knocked from his motorcycle and beaten early Saturday near the Pike Place Market drew his gun and fired, wounding one man, a police spokesman said. The wounded man, shot "one to three times" was taken to surgery at Harborview Medical Center, Officer Rich Pruitt said. Pruitt described the man's gunshot wounds as life-threatening. He was not immediately identified. The officer, who was also not immediately identified, was also taken to Harborview for treatment of head and face injuries and injuries to his torso, Pruitt said. The veteran patrol officer had just completed his West Precinct shift a few blocks away and was riding his personal motorcycle in Post Alley near Virginia Street at about 12:10 a.m. when he was confronted by four to six men who pushed over the bike and knocked him to the ground, Pruitt said. "At a certain point, he's down on the ground and being beaten, he drew his weapon and shot several rounds" hitting one man, Pruitt said. No one else was injured and there were no immediate arrests although police were interviewing more than a dozen witnesses "to piece this together." It was not clear what started the altercation, Pruitt said. Pruitt said he believed the officer fired his service weapon, a .40 caliber Glock. "We're surmising he was in the alley to meet somebody," Pruitt said of the officer, noting there are several restaurants there.
