Police are searching for a man they said shot at an officer eight times early Monday morning in west Charlotte.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said that officer, Detective Scott Shipman, watched a man leave the Church's Chicken restaurant on West Trade Street through a broken front glass door just before 1 a.m. Shipman followed the man, who was driving a dark gray Dodge Charger.

When the detective tried to pull the man over on State Street, the suspect shot eight times at him. Shipman was not hit and he did not return fire, authorities said. The gunman then jumped back into his car and fled the scene.

Officers said Shipman tried to follow the suspect along Interstate 77 near the John Belk Freeway but lost him.

Police are reviewing video from the patrol car dash camera to try to get a better look at the 30-day temporary tag on the Charger and to get a better description of the gunman. Right now, the only description police have is that the suspect is a black man with braided hair. He was last seen wearing a blue T-shirt and dark shorts.

Shipman is actually part of one of the new patrol units formed by CMPD Chief Rodney Monroe. The new patrol units went into effect Saturday. Shipman’s unit is called the firearms enforcement unit.
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