Denver police are on the hunt for two suspects related to a shooting that left an officer hospitalized in critical but stable condition Tuesday. The shooting occurred shortly before 11:30 a.m. near Federal and West 38th Avenue, reported ABC's Denver affiliate KMGH-TV.
Antonio Lopez Jr., reported to dispatchers that he was making a routine traffic stop, but two minutes later he radioed in again telling dispatchers that he had been shot.
Lopez was struck several times during the shooting, reportedly twice in the left leg, once in the right knee and twice in an arm, and was wearing a bulletproof vest. Before going down, however, he was able to fire off several shots of his own, one of which stuck one suspect in the leg.
Paramedics soon arrived and performed emergency first aid at the scene before rushing him to Denver Health Medical Center, where he underwent surgery, reported Reuters. The wounds were grievous, and his heart reportedly stopped at one point, but he is now expected to live.
In the meantime, police launched a manhunt to find the assailants and four nearby schools were placed into lockdown as a precaution.
One suspect, possessing an apparent gun shot wound to the leg, was soon arrested after police saw a vehicle driving away from the scene of the shooting at a high speed, according to the New York Daily News.
The status of two other potential suspects is a bit unclear. One source close to the investigation reported that a female was arrested in connection to the shooting, but by Tuesday evening Denver PD refuted that claim. There has been no status updates about the alleged third suspect.
As the investigation continues, authorities are looking to see whether the incident stemmed from an attempted bank robbery and carjacking that took place earlier that day less than a mile away.
