VIENNA, Md.-- Maryland State Police say an 18-and-a-half-year veteran trooper was shot late Monday night while conducting a traffic near Vienna.
Police say shortly before 10:00 p.m. Monday night, a Maryland State Trooper from the Easton Barrack attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a Toyota Prius carrying three people on eastbound Route 50 near the Vienna Scale House.
During the traffic stop, the driver, 23-year-old Keiford Lee Copper III of Trappe, fired at the trooper, striking him several times. The trooper returned fire. No one in the vehicle was hit.
Police say Copper then fled the scene, traveling eastbound on Route 50.
Meanwhile the trooper, who has not been identified at this time, was transported to TidalHealth Peninsula Regional in Salisbury for medical treatment of injuries. He has since been released and placed on administrative leave.
Police say officers from the Delmar Police Department then located the suspect's car in the area of eastbound Route 54 and Providence Church Road in Delmar shortly after 10:00 p.m. Officers followed the vehicle to the 600 block of Elizabeth Street, a dead-end residential street.
Police say Copper, then attempted to turn the vehicle around, hit the curb, crashed into two vehicles, and came to rest after hitting a tree.
Police say they then surrounded the car and found Copper alone and slumped over the wheel with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Shortly before 12:30 a.m., a 9-1-1 call reported two unidentified men with hooded sweatshirts walking around a neighborhood in Hebron.
Troopers from the Salisbury Barrack responded to the area and located the two men walking on Porter Mill Road towards Route 50. They were taken into police custody without incident.
State Police Homicide Unit investigators responded and are conducting the investigation. Crime scene technicians from the Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division responded to process both crime scenes.
The Wicomico County State’s Attorney was briefed by investigators. Upon completion of the investigation, it will be provided to the state’s attorney for review.
The State Police Internal Affairs Unit is conducting a concurrent investigation.