Albany Police Department officer recovering after being shot during standoff

ALBANY – A suspect who told police he would rather have a shootout with police than go to jail is accused of wounding an Albany Police Department officer who underwent a six hours of surgery on Monday evening.

Cpl. Alexander Price was struck in the arm by a round from a .223-caliber rifle during the incident in south Albany and suffered an injury to the vein in his arm, Albany Police Chief Michael Persley said on Tuesday.

Four officers responded at 5:26 p.m. on Monday to the apartment complex at 209 Slater King Drive after receiving a report of an armed man who was in an altercation with a neighbor. When they arrived, the suspect, David Edmonds Jr., was inside an apartment with his girlfriend and two children.

“After conducting an investigation, they made a decision to place Edmonds in custody,” Persley said. “He made a statement he’s not going to jail and that he’d rather have a shootout.”

When the officers attempted to open the door to speak with the suspect, Edmonds reportedly fired and struck Price.

Police negotiators arrived at the scene, and after about an hour of discussion with Edmonds, he allowed the girlfriend and children to leave.

“We were able to retrieve the (wounded) officer,” Persley said.

A SWAT team eventually arrested Edmonds once he came outside the apartment. The time at the scene was reportedly more than five hours.

Edmonds, 25, has been charged with four counts of aggravated assault on a police officer, possession of a weapon during the commission of a crime, battery and terroristic threats and acts.

During the surgery doctors replaced a damaged vein in Price’s arm with a vein from one of his legs, Persley said.

“We ask for continued prayers for the officer and the officer’s family,” he said.