At 8:34 p.m., two Newark police officers spotted a stolen SUV in the area of Clinton Place near Hawthorne Avenue, the state Attorney General's Office said.
Police approached the vehicle and a struggle ensued between a man in the driver's seat, authorities said.
The vehicle accelerated, initially backward and then forward during the struggle, authorities said. A police officer fired his weapon, striking the driver, authorities said.
The vehicle struck the police officers' patrol car and then traveled forward across the street, onto a sidewalk, and crashed into a building and then into unoccupied vehicles parked along the street.
The driver of the vehicle was taken to a nearby hospital in critical but stable condition, authorities said. Two police officers were also transported to University Hospital, where they were treated for minor injuries and released, authorities said.
The Attorney General's Office is investigating to determine if any charges will be fired.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Belleville and receive free news updates.