One arrest made in non-fatal police officer shooting

Albany police have charged a 20-year-old man in the shooting in which a police officer’s life was saved by his safety vest.

Christopher Anthony Davis was identified by a witness as one of the suspects running from the address seconds after gunfire was heard coming from 506 N. Haley St., Albany Police Department spokeswoman Phyllis Banks said.

Davis has been charged with burglary (2 counts), aggravated assault (4 counts), aggravated assault against peace officer (7 counts), false imprisonment (2 counts) and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.

The shooting occurred at 4:07 a.m. Tuesday, APD said. One bullet struck Officer Willie Hall, 27, in the left forearm, hit his safety vest and richoceted to his cellphone.

Hall was treated and released for his injuries, with Chief John Proctor saying the safety vest had proven to be a lifesaver. While he said Hall wanted to report to duty today, he has been placed on administrative leave.

Police said they were searching for three black males in the incident, one 6 feet tall and the other two 5 foot 8 to 5 foot 9. They were dressed in black and masked, possibly with shirts wrapped around their faces, police said.

The assailants initially went into one apartment and found the people they had intended to accost were in a second apartment. They fired at police from that second apartment at 506 N. Haley St.