NEW ORLEANS — Two men stand accused of attempted murder of a police officer after a shootout with police in Uptown Monday morning left an NOPD officer wounded.
NOPD officials said the incident started at a CVS drug store on Prytania Street just after 6 a.m, when police were called to the store for an apparent robbery.
Three NOPD officers responded to the location. Within minutes of their arrival, a man opened fire at them, hitting an officer in his left shoulder, according to NOPD officials.
The officers returned fire, striking and wounding both suspects.
As the shootout ensued, a signal 108 distress call, which indicates an officer in danger, went out and additional NOPD units rushed to the store, officials said.
The wounded officer was taken to University Medical Center for treatment, and was listed in stable condition as of Monday afternoon. NOPD Superintendent Shaun Ferguson reported the officer was "in good spirits."
As the gunfire stopped, NOPD officials said one of the suspects ran into the neighborhood in an attempt to flee. He was quickly stopped and arrested by the surrounding officers.
The two men in the shootout were arrested and identified by police as an 18-year-old and 26-year-old, whose names are being withheld at this time. They face attempted murder of a police officer and armed robbery with a gun.
The NOPD Force Investigation Team (FIT) is investigating the incident. Federal officials and the Independent Police Monitor were also on the scene following the shootout, officials said.
NOPD officials said body camera video from the responding officers' vests were turned on and captured the incident. That video will be available for viewing within 10 days, according to the NOPD's video release policy.
The responding officers have two, three and four years of experience with the NOPD, officials said.