(April 24, 2004) -- A dangerous encounter took place roughly a mile and a half north of downtown LB on April 22 when LBPD officers came face to face with an armed suspect who allegedly fired at them, prompting officers to return fire...after which the suspect fled, allegedly attempted a truckjacking...and events culminated with officers shooting and wounding the suspect.

In a written release, LBPD says that on April 22 at roughly 6:35 p.m. officers were involved in a shooting after they attempted to stop a suspicious vehicle; an officer on patrol in the area of 17th/Henderson observed a suspicious vehicle, attempted to make a traffic stop...and the driver exited the car allegedly armed with a handgun and fired at least two rounds at the officer.

The release says the rounds struck the police car but didn't hit the officer. Two additional officers arrived and observed the suspect standing at the car with a gun in his hand...and when the suspect allegedly pointed the gun at the officers, both officers fired their weapons at the suspect.

Police say the suspect then entered his car, and drove to the 1500 block of Cedar Ave., ran from his car through an apartment complex into the alley to the rear...and allegedly attempted to carjack a truck from a man, but failed when the truck wouldn't start.

LBPD says the suspect then began walking south in the alley with his gun in his hand, towards an assisting officer.

"The officer was yelling at the suspect to drop his weapon, and the suspect did not comply with the officer’s orders. The officer then fired two times at the suspect, striking him two times in the upper torso. The suspect fell to the ground, and was immediately transported to a local hospital, and is expected to live," LBPD's release said.

Police identified the suspect as Saul Salomon, 37, of LB.

Anyone with information is asked to call LBPD Homicide Detectives Richard Conant or Chris Cardoza at (562) 570-7244.