Southport police requesting help identifying suspect they say caused serious injuries to officer

SOUTHPORT, NC (WWAY) — The Southport Police Department is seeking the public’s help identifying a person they say caused serious injuries to an officer Saturday night.

The officer was involved in a vehicle pursuit of a motorcyclist on East Moore Street around 8:15 p.m.

The pursuit continued to Shepherd Road where the motorcycle wrecked.

Police say the suspect ran away and during the pursuit assaulted the police officer, who suffered serious injuries and was transported to New Hanover Novant Medical Center. The officer was treated and released from Novant Hospital around 3:00 a.m. Sunday morning.

Southport PD describe the suspect as a white male, stocky build, approx.  5’10-6’0 ft., 200-220 lbs., brown hair, dark color shorts, no shirt, boots. They say he may have been picked up while walking along E Leonard Street near Jabbertown Road Sunday morning between the hours of 8:30 p.m. and midnight.

He may have flagged someone down or called someone to pick him up, according to police.

Anyone with information is asked to call 911 and report immediately. Southport Police Department is receiving assistance from the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office and North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.