CLEVELAND– Police released the identity of the Cleveland police officer who was shot while on duty Monday.
Cleveland police say 43-year-old Robert Taylor was likely saved by his bulletproof vest during a confrontation with a burglary suspect.
Investigators say the patrolman encountered a man who had apparently broken into an apartment building on Addison Avenue, and spotted a handgun in the suspect’s waistband.
During a struggle, the officer pulled out his service weapon and fired three shots. The officer was hit in the lower torso by a bullet, but it’s unclear if it was fired from his gun or the suspect’s.
Fortunately, his bulletproof vest stopped the bullet.
He was treated at MetroHealth Medical Center and released Monday afternoon.
Police say Taylor has been an officer on the force since 2000.
A search for the suspect continues.
