A Denver police officer was critically wounded after being shot multiple times in a shootout Tuesday morning.
Officer Tony Lopez Jr. was conducting a traffic stop around 11:21 a.m. near 37th Avenue and Federal Boulevard when the shooting occurred, according to The Denver Post.
The 7-year veteran of the force, who was wearing his bulletproof vest at the time of the shooting, was transported to Denver Health Medical Center where he was listed in critical but stable condition. He remained in surgery for several wounds to the upper and lower parts of his body.
Dr. Christopher Colwell said he was "cautiously optimistic" about the officer's prognosis.
Police Chief Robert White told reporters that one suspect was wounded and apprehended and that possibly two other suspects were being sought. Investigators are trying to determine whether the incident was related to a carjacking in a bank parking lot on the 3400 block of West 38th Avenue.
Lopez was unaware of the previous incident and it wasn't immediately clear what prompted the traffic stop.
Lopez's father, Tony Lopez Sr., the commander of District 6, which covers downtown Denver. In 2013, Lopez was awarded the department's Distinguished Service Cross.
It was the second time in a week that a Denver police officer has been wounded. Last week, an officer was shot in the leg during a shooting that left a fugitive dead.
Officer.com will provide more information on this story as it becomes available.
