Man arrested for shooting at DC police cruiser, wanted in Maryland for attempted murder

WASHINGTON - A man who opened fired on a D.C. police cruiser causing an immediate car crash in broad daylight had a warrant out for his arrest in Maryland for attempted murder.

D.C. police said at about 5:45 p.m. Wednesday, Richard Butler III started firing a gun at the passing vehicle in the 600 block of Mellon Street, SE, just off Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue.

Officers drew their weapons and returned fire. One woman threw her car in reverse to try to avoid the gunfire and wound up crashing into a Lexus behind her.

Police say it was a chaotic scene as everything happened so fast. There were pedestrians walking the sidewalks and other cars driving in the street when the man open fired.

Police arrested the suspect and found two guns in his possession.

There were no injuries, including the people involved in the car crash, police said.

Butler is also wanted in Maryland, he is accused of repeatedly stabbing his girlfriend, attempting to sexually assault a young girl and fire-bombing an apartment.