An Iowa trooper was shot and wounded Tuesday by a shotgun-wielding suspect accused of killing a woman.

The shooting happened shortly after 3:30 p.m. when authorities responded to a call of shots fired in Stuart, according to an Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation news release. Iowa State Patrol Trooper Chase Carruthers was part of the respone, which included Stuart police officers, as well as Adair and Guthrie County sheriff's deputies.

When Carruthers reached the scene, he encountered the suspect, identified as Austin Nichols Reed, who opened fire with a shotgun. Carruthers was struck, and the other responding officers were able to apprehend Reed.

Carruthers, who has been with the department since December of last year, was rushed to a Des Moines-area hospital. He was in stable condition and continues to receive medical treatment.

A 42-year-old woman was found dead at the scene, KCRG-TV reports. A bystander told investigators that Reed had shot the woman from behind before his shotgun malfunctioned when he pointed it at the witness.

Reed is charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder of a police officer.

It's unclear what led to the initial shooting, and the incident is under investigation.