New London ― Police officers from throughout the region and state converged on the Clarion Inn around 4 p.m. Sunday for a shooting involving an officer.

Mayor Michael Passero, who went to the scene briefly around 6 p.m., confirmed there was an officer involved in a shooting at the inn.

“The incident is being described as an officer-involved shooting and the only gunshot wound was to a suspect who was being sought at the time by New London Police Department,” Passero said via text message Sunday night.

He added that the investigation is being handled by the state Office of Inspector General and New London State’s Attorney’s office, and that further information would have to come from them. He said they would hold a press conference “at some point.”

The Office of Inspector General, created in 2021, investigates when police use force to determine whether it’s justified.

Additionally, the Connecticut State Police Major Crime Unit was at the scene.

Around 3:47 p.m., state police and other agencies broadcast a notification that New London police were seeking help for an officer-involved shooting.

The Clarion Inn’s address is 269 N. Frontage Road. The nearby America’s Best Value Inn is at 380 Bayonet St.

Cruisers and police on foot surrounded the lobby and side entrances of the Clarion Inn shortly after 4 p.m.

Two Yale-New Haven Health vehicles left the scene around 4:30 p.m.

Around 6 p.m., a large group of people, some wearing jackets that said, “Police Inspector,” arrived at the scene.

Alex Kilguss said he was in the parking lot of the nearby AutoZone when he heard gunshots.

“I was smoking a cigarette, and then that’s when I heard a couple gunshots,” he said. “It was maybe three, possibly four. Not too many, but a few.”

Kilguss said he saw birds flying away, startled by the sound of the shots.

Kilguss said after the gunshots, he started seeing “tons and tons” of police cars coming from Groton, Waterford and New London.

Earlier Sunday, at approximately 1:52 p.m., New London police responded to a report of a shooting at Americas Best Value Inn at 380 Bayonet St., according to a press release from the department.

An investigation into that initial report led officers to search for a man at the next-door Clarion Inn, according to the release.

New London police said they then located a man in one of the rooms of the Clarion Inn, and “upon contact with New London Officers a shooting ensued.” A man was taken to Lawrence + Memorial Hospital and treated for injuries that resulted from the “officer-involved shooting,” police said.

The man’s status was not available at this time, New London police said.

d.drainville@theday.com