By Komo News
A Seattle police officer was critically injured in a shooting that left two other officers wounded as they responded to a robbery in Downtown Seattle Thursday afternoon.
One of the suspected shooters is dead; a second is under arrest, while a third remains on the loose, Seattle Police said.
Officers describe their third suspect as black man, about 5 feet 11 inches tall wearing a black jacket, glasses and a Seahawks beanie.
The ordeal began just after 1 p.m. with a reported robbery at the 7-Eleven in the 600 block of 1st Avenue.
Officers arrived on scene and came in contact with two men and a woman suspected in the robbery, according to Carmen Best with Seattle Police.
A fight ensued between one officer and one of the male suspects. As the two fought on the ground, a female suspect came up and hit the officer on the head with a bottle and they ran off, Best said.
A third suspect then came out of the store and opened fire.
“That suspect fled into a building nearby, and was barricaded in that building,” Best said. “Two of the officers were fired upon and were struck.”
A female officer was struck in her bullet-proof vest and had relatively minor injuries, Best said. A male officer was struck in the chin and the rib cage. A third officer was grazed on their hand.
The two officers directly hit were rushed to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle where the the 30-year-old male officer was listed in critical condition with potentially life-threatening injuries, according to a hospital spokesperson.
The 42-year-old female officer was listed in satisfactory condition.
One of the suspects is in custody, and a third died from what police sources describe as “significant injuries.”
There is still heavy police activity in the area and several downtown roads are blocked off. Police say some who are in buildings where police activity is occurring are being told to shelter in place.
Brian Wilcox was delivering concrete across the street from where the ordeal began.
“Officers started coming down Western and a suspect ran into the Federal Building,” Wilcox said.
“And then shortly after, he ran in there then police followed him in there with weapons drawn. Then gunshots were exchanged, then all of a sudden, just about every cop in town showed up.”
Wilcox said he saw a male and female police officer come out that appeared to have been the two that were shot.
“A female officer — they were checking underneath her body armor– she walked out under her own power,” Wilcox said. “I think she got shot, I don’t know.”
Police activity remains heavy in the area and officers ask the public to stay out of the area as the investigation continues. Several roads around Downtown Seattle are blocked off for the investigation:
