Birmingham, Alabama – The Birmingham Police Department announced in a media release that a K-9 officer was fired upon by a possible shooting suspect.

According to BPD, a K-9 officer was providing additional patrol for New Year’s Eve and was fired upon by a possible shooting suspect.

Around 2:20 a.m., the K-9 officer and the officer’s K-9 partner were patrolling near Center Street at Graymont Avenue West. The officer heard gunshots and believed a suspect in a vehicle fired shots from the vehicle.

BPD says the officer did not believe the first shots were fired at the police. The officer got behind the suspect’s vehicle near the 100 block of Graymont West and the suspect allegedly fired multiple shots at the officer.

The officer returned fire before the suspect fled the area. The officers were not injured although a patrol vehicle was damaged. BPD says two gunshot victims were later found in the 500 block of Center Street.

The victims were taken to UAB Hospital with life-threatening injuries. BPD says detectives have not ruled out that the suspect who shot at the officer was the suspect in the double shooting.