A man shot by an off-duty Los Angeles police officer was hospitalized in critical condition Monday morning, officials said.
The shooting was reported at about 2:40 a.m. in the 500 block of Wheeling Way in Montecito Heights, a neighborhood northeast of downtown Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Police said the officer was locking his car when he was confronted by an armed suspect and opened fire. The suspect tried to carjack the officer, according to an LAPD statement.
The suspect was identified as Joshua Villavicencio, 23.
It is unknown if the suspect fired his weapon during the confrontation.
The man was taken to a hospital where he was undergoing surgery. The officer was not injured.
A weapon believed to be that of the suspect was recovered at the scene, LAPD said.
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The officer, who has been with the LAPD for less than two years, has been placed on leave during the investigation.
The shooting was under investigation.
NBC4's Annette Arreola and City News Service contributed to this report.
