Officer Shoots at Suspect Outside of Cortez Road Walmart

Bradenton Police are searching for a suspect who hit an officer with his car after being caught up in a drug sting in front of the Cortez Road . An officer shot at the suspect before he got away, but police don't believe he was wounded.

 Undercover narcotic detectives were working to arrest several people during the sting in the parking lot in front of Walmart's garden center at about 2:30 this afternoon when one of the suspects who was still behind the wheel of his car tried to get away, according to a Bradenton Police report.

The suspect threw the car in reverse and tried to take off, hitting a police officer, slamming him into a car parked in front of the gardening center and injuring the officer's arm. The suspect then put the car in drive and was headed toward another officer who shot twice, hitting the car's door, said Deputy Chief Keith Davis.

The driver sped off to the back of the store before getting out and running towards apartments at the back of the store. Two passengers, a man and a woman, tried to get away as well, but were arrested, Davis said.

Police helicopters circled the Cortez Road by 4 p.m. Thursday afternoon searching for the driver. Customers continued shopping at Walmart even as the helicopters circled above and television news trucks drove through the parking lot.

Davis said police will continue the search for the suspect until he is caught. Officers do not think the suspect was injured.

As is routine whenever an officer discharges a weapon, the shooting will be investigated.