A Houston police officer was wounded in an exchange of gunfire while trying to arrest a suspect in a drug investigation Wednesday.
The shooting happened when two officers pulled over a suspect they had under surveillance on an active narcotics warrant, KHOU-TV reports. The suspect was asked to get out of his car, and he exchanged words with the officers.
When the suspect did exit his vehicle, he began shooting at the officers, who returned fire. The suspect and an officer were wounded in the shootout.
The suspect was struck multiple times and was taken to the hospital in critical condition. The officer was struck in the pelvic and chest area, but he was in good spirits and expected to recover.
"Thank God for his ballistic vest and flashlight," said Houston Police Chief Troy Finner. "I think it probably saved his life."
The second officer was uninjured in the gun fight. Finner said both officers have 10 years of police service.
"It goes without saying … anytime anyone injures anybody in our city, I'm upset. But I'm very upset at what's going on in our nation and our state and our country with gun violence … with suspects who have no damn regard for anybody else," the chief said.
