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WEBVTT TEST ON HIS CONDITION ANDTHE OFFICER'S BACKGROUND.DAN: FOP PRESIDENT DAN HILS SAYSTHE DISTRICT FOUR OFFICER HASBEEN MOVED FROM THE ICU TO AREGULAR ROOM, AND SAYS HE'SDOING OK AFTER LAST NIGHT.THE SHOOTOUT HAPPENED ALONGGILBERT AVENUE, JUST AFTERMIDNIGHT.POLICE SAY TWO OFFIERS RESPONDEDTO A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CALL,THEN GUNFIRE ERUPTED IN ACOURTYARD BETWEEN SEVERALAPARTMENTS.BOTH THE SUSPECT AND OFFICERWERE HIT BUT ARE BELIEVED TOHAVE NON-LIFE-THREATENINGINJURIES.TODAY, FOP PRESIDENT HILS SAYSTHE D-4 OFFICER, WHO'S BEENPATROLLING ON THE FORCE AT LEAST19 YEARS, IS DOING OK,RECOVERING FROM A SHOT TO THEGROIN.BUT HILS SAYS IT WAS ANEMOTIONAL SCENE AT U.C. MEDICALCENTER, AS HIS CHILDREN ANDFAMILY RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL,WORRIED.>> ANYTIME YOU GET THIS CALL,YOU FEAR THE ABSOLUTE WORST. BUT, EVEN AS IT WAS, YOU KNOW,IT WAS JUST A VERY, VERY HARDEXPERIENCE WHEN YOU SEE A FAMILYRUSHED INTO THE HOSPITAL BECAUSETHEY DON'T KNOW.THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.AND YOU SEE YOUNG KIDS THAT SEETHEIR FATHER IN AN ICU SETTING,IT IS JUST, IT IS JUST SUCH AHARD THING TO WITNESSDAN: THE MAYOR AND COUNCILMANCHRIS SMITHERMAN HAVE VISITEDTHE OFFICER TODAY.BOTH HAVE COMMENDED THE OFFICERSINVOLVED.THE NAMES OF THE OFFICER AND THESUSPECT HAVE NOT BEEN RELEASED.WE ARE TOLD THE SUSPECT IS INSTABLE CONDITION.LIVE AT UC MEDICAL CENTER, DANGRIFFIN, WLWT NEWS 5.COURTIS: WITNESSES HEARD THEGUNFIRE THIS MORNING.SOME WERE AFRAID THE OFFICERWASN'T GOING TO SURVIVE.WLWT NEWS 5'S RICHARD CHILESCONTINUES OUR TEAM COVERAGE WITHWHAT THEY SAW.>> I HEARD SHOTS.POW, POW.THEN POW, POW, POW, POW, POW,POW, POW.RICHARD: MARIAN SETTLES HEARDTHE EXPLOSION OF GUNFIRE, SAWTHE OFFICER, AND IMMEDIATELYTHOUGHT THE WORST. >> THE OFFICER WAS LAYING ON THEGROUND.HE WAS NOT MOVING.OH NO, THE OFFICER MUST BE DEAD.RICHARD: -- RICHARD: THE SCENE PLAYED OUT INA BLUR, BUT WAS CLEAR TO ERNESTJENKINS.>> AS SOON AS HE COME OUT, HESTARTED SHOOTING.RICHARD: FROM HIS PORCH, JENKINSCOULD SEE THE YOUNG MAN ENTERINGTHE COURTYARD AND HEAR THEOFFICER'S COMMANDS. >> THEY KEPT TELLING HIM PUTYOUR WEAPON DOWN.STOP.THEY WERE TRYING TO PROTECTTHEMSELVES.RICHARD: THEN THE CRITICALSECOND.>> THE FIRST TWO I HEARD WASPOP, POP.RICHARD: JENKINS SAW THE OFFICERHIT, THE GUNMAN STILL COMINGFORWARD.>> I SEEN THE ONE OFFICER ON THEGROUND IN A FETAL POSITION.HE SHOT AT HIM AND HE FELL BACK.AND THEY KEPT YELLING PUT YOURWEAPON DOWN, BECAUSE HE KEPTGOING IN HIS POCKET LIKE THAT.>> -- RICHARD: WOUNDED, THE OFFICERMANNAGED TO RETURN FIRE.>> THEN A LARGER SOUND BOOM,BOOM.BOOM, BOOM.BOOM, BOOM.HE WAS HOLDING HIMSELF LIKETHIS.HE KEPT DOING LIKE THIS.HE WAS HIT.HE WAS HIT.HE WAS HIT.RICHARD: IN A FRACTION OF ASECOND, THE GUN BATTLE IS OVER.>> I SEEN HIM LAYING DOWN, ANDTHE OFFICER LAYING DOWN, BUT HESTILL HAD HIS WEAPON IN HISHAND.RICHARD: BOTH MEN DOWN BUTALIVE, OFFICERS RESPONDING FROMCITY WIDE.>> THAT'S A HELL OF A JOB,PSYCHOLOGICAL, MENTAL, NOWYOU'VE GOT TO GO HOME TO YOURFAMILY.YOUR WIFE, YOUR MOTHER, YOURFATHER, YOU HAVE PEOPLE YOU'VEGOT TO COME HOME TO HOPINGYOU'RE SAFE.THAT'S A HELL OF A JOB.

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A Cincinnati police officer and a suspect were shot early Sunday during an exchange of gunfire in Walnut Hills, Lt. Steve Saunders said. Neighbors said they saw the suspect and officer firing their weapons and at one point, they thought the officer was dead. The incident happened around 12:30 a.m. in the 2600 block of Gilbert Avenue in Cincinnati's District 4 and for a time, shut down the road. "They kept telling him, 'Put your weapon down, put your weapon down,' cause he came out the door shooting," neighbor Ernest Jenkins said. Jenkins said even in the dark of night, he could see the situation play out from his apartment. "I heard 'pop, pop,' like a firecracker. Then I heard 'boom, boom, boom, boom,' then I looked outside, he fell," Jenkins told WLWT. Police said two officers from District 4 were responding to a domestic violence call at the address when the incident occurred. An officer and a suspect exchanged gunfire in a courtyard between several apartments, and both were wounded, Saunders said. Court documents identify the suspect as Damion McRae, 37. "Never been any guns in this building. No one, no one. My mother been here 44 years, you know. No gunplay, you know, arguments, but no drama like this, never since I been here," Jenkins said. Other neighbors also heard the sound of gunshots but at first thought the sounds were fireworks. "I heard shots. I was laying in bed and got up to go to the bathroom, I heard shots, 'pow, pow, pow, pow, pow, pow, pow,'" Marian Settles said. Settles said the scene was a frightening example of senseless violence and it wasn't far from her home. The officer, who was shot in the groin, is expected to survive, police said. Both the officer and McRae were taken to University of Cincinnati Medical Center for treatment. Saunders said the officer was out of surgery at about 9 a.m. FOP President Dan Hils told WLWT the officer appeared to be in "great spirits" in the hospital. "Great spirits, great spirits. I mean we're talking about a tough guy, a really, really tough guy. The type of guy you want with you when you're going into a situation like what ending up happening last night," Hils said. He also told us this shooting brings back very uneasy memories of Officer Sonny Kim's death. Just after 11 a.m., Hils shared the following on Facebook: "Great news!! I am sitting outside our hero's room and he is about to be moved out of the ICU to a regular room. He looks great and his family here are relaxed and enjoying his company. A brave officer with an outstanding family and great partner. Thanks to everyone for the prayers and messages of concern." Hils told WLWT the shooting is a reminder of how dangerous the job of a police officer can be at any time. "It brings to life again, you know, how evil this is, that somebody attacks a law enforcement officer," Hils said. Neighbors said they are grateful no one lost their life after such a dangerous situation. "By the grace of God he's alright. Both of them's alright. I'm glad of that," Jenkins said. Authorities said McRae is in stable condition. Multiple sources have confirmed the name of the officer to WLWT but we are not releasing the name out of respect for the officer's family. Some city leaders are also sharing their thoughts on the shooting. Councilwoman Amy Murray said the shooting was very sad and told WLWT, "We're praying for the officer and his family. This shows how difficult the life of a police officer is." Councilman Chris Smitherman and Mayor John Cranley also visited the officer in the hospital on Sunday. Smitherman called the officers involved "heroes" and said the situation puts an emphasis on how complicated the job of a police officer can be. "We want people marching in the street saying the officer did a good job," Smitherman told WLWT on Sunday. Cranley said, "Last night's shooting of a Cincinnati Police officer is a stark reminder that these men and women risk their lives each and everyday for the safety of our City. I am thankful for their unfailing bravery and service to our community. I am also thankful the injured officer is safe and recovering. Please keep this officer and our police in your prayers." McRae has a lengthy criminal history in Hamilton County. His first cocaine charges were nearly 20 years ago. In the following 10 years, he had minor run-ins with the law. In 2008, McRae pleaded guilty to assault. A woman said he punched her, grabbed her by the throat and slammed her head. The court also convicted McRae of marijuana trafficking. His most recent arrest came in 2016. He was sentenced to community control for aggravated trafficking in cocaine and heroin. Smitherman said he expects more information about the shootout will come to light at a Law and Public Safety Committee meeting on Monday morning at City Hall. Cincinnati police also said more information about the shooting will be released Monday morning.