D.C. police officers shot and killed a man Tuesday night after he rammed his car into a police cruiser, attacked an officer with a knife and tried to carjack a passing motorist, authorities said.

Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela A. Smith said the knife-wielding man, who hasn’t been identified, died at the scene in the 3500 block of Georgia Avenue NW around 6:10 p.m. Tuesday following a series of events that started when the suspect “intentionally” crashed into the police cruiser.

“The suspect drove into oncoming traffic and struck a marked MPD cruiser that was traveling northbound,” Chief Smith said. “After the collision, the suspect got out of his vehicle, produced a knife and reached into the officer’s cruiser, through the open window, and demanded the officer’s service weapon while swinging the knife towards the officer.”

The officer evaded the “enraged” suspect’s knife lunges by moving to the passenger seat and shot the armed man after he ignored commands to drop the knife,” the chief said.

Authorities said the same officer then began first aid efforts on the suspect while radioing for emergency medical responders to come to the scene.

But the suspect then gathered himself, grabbed his knife and tried to get into another police cruiser, Chief Smith said.

The armed man eventually got out of the cruiser and tried to carjack a woman in a nearby laundromat parking lot, she said.

“At this time, one of our officers discharged their service weapon at the suspect, striking him,” Chief Smith said.

The man died at the scene and no one else was injured in the incident, she said.

The chief said the two officers who shot the man have been placed on administrative leave while the incident is investigated.

Police said this officer-involved shooting was separate from another police shooting that took place in the same area Tuesday afternoon.

Authorities said an officer had just pulled over someone near the intersection of Georgia Avenue and Quebec Place NW when the officer saw a shootout erupt between two people.

The officer shot in the direction of the two gunmen, but no was struck by the police gunfire, police said. The gunmen ran away, and no arrests were made in the incident.

Killings are up so far this year in the District, with police having recorded 28 homicides, compared to 21 at this point in 2024.

Other violent crimes such as carjackings, robberies and weapons assaults are down from last year.

• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.