Possibly armed suspect shot by LAPD officers in downtown LA

Gunfire erupts as LAPD responds to possibly armed suspect

A man reportedly opened fire, shooting at police officers in downtown LA.

LOS ANGELES - An investigation is underway following a shootout involving Los Angeles Police Department officers and a possibly armed suspect in downtown Los Angeles early Thursday morning.

What we know:

The incident happened around 4:10 a.m. near Seventh Street and Ceres Avenue.

According to the LAPD, a person called 911 reporting a man living in an RV was armed with a gun and pointing it at people in the Skid Row area. 

When officers arrived at the scene and surrounded the vehicle, they attempted to negotiate a peaceful surrender.

The suspect eventually got out of the RV allegedly armed with a gun and opened fire on officers, officials said. 

Police returned fire, hitting the suspect. 

In video from the scene, shots could be heard ringing out amid a large police presence. A police SUV was stopped with its front end on a sidewalk.

A firearm was recovered at the scene and will be booked and analyzed, police said.

The suspect was seen being loaded into an ambulance and taken to a local hospital.

Police later said the suspect was undergoing surgery, but was in a stable condition. No officers or community members were injured.

What we don't know:

The suspect's identity has not been released.

While police confirmed they returned fire, they have not yet confirmed if the suspect was injured solely by police rounds or if he potentially sustained a self-inflicted wound during the exchange.

What's next:

Because this was an officer-involved shooting, several independent agencies will join the LAPD to conduct a standard use-of-force review.