DeKalb County officer recovering after being injured trying to arrest occupants of stolen car

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - A DeKalb County police officer was injured while trying to arrest the driver of a stolen car.

The confrontation happened Wednesday inside the Greens at Stonecreek Apartments, near The Mall at Stonecrest.

Police say just after 6 p.m., three men were in a stolen car in the area near the mall.

Officer Monica Gilbert attempted to make a traffic stop on the car. Once the officer realized the car was stolen, the suspects tried to flee, but were blocked by an apartment gate.

Police say the suspect put the vehicle in reverse, striking the officer's cruiser. Officer Gilbert was injured as she jumped out of the way.

Residents in the complex are surprised by the commotion.

"I couldn't come out through the gate because there were so many police officers. It was 14 of them and it was one on the street making 15. When an officer is injured, that's someone's family member and their loved one and they are serving us," resident Esi Nicholl commented.

Police say two of the three people in the car fled on foot.

The officer was released from the hospital Thursday.