A New Orleans Police Department officer was shot in the face by a man in the back of a pedicab Friday afternoon in the French Quarter.
NOPD Superintendent Shaun Ferguson described the shooting as an "ambush" and said the unnamed officer, a four-year veteran of the force, is in "serious but stable condition" at University Medical Center.
The shooting happened near St. Phillip and Royal Streets at around 4:30 p.m. Police say there was "no interaction" between the shooter and police prior to the shooting.
A pair of officers were in their patrol car when the gunman opened fire. One of the officers was shot right under his left eye; the bullet is lodged in his skull. The other officer in the car suffered minor injuries after being grazed by shards of broken glass.
The man who police say shot at the officers was arrested nearby and was in some form of "medical distress," according to Ferguson. The man was taken to the hospital by police.
The superintendent says the officer who was shot in the face was responsive when he arrived at the hospital and able to walk unassisted into the building.
Police say a firearm was located near the shooting but did not specify how many bullets were fired. The individual arrested was wearing an empty holster.
Ferguson said the individual arrested refused to share his identify with the police.
