As Los Angeles police scoured the neighborhoods near El Camino Real High School where an LAUSD police officer was shot Wednesday, more details were emerging about the circumstances leading up to the incident. The officer shot has been identified as Jeffrey Stenroos, an eight-year veteran of the LAUSD police force, according to LAUSD police Chief Steve Zipperman.

Sources familiar with the case said the Stenroos spotted the suspect on the east side of the high school. He appeared to be involved in some kind of illegal activity, which may have included breaking into cars, sources said. The officer confronted the suspect at Manton Avenue and Burbank Boulevard, just east of the campus.

During that confrontation, which occurred at about 11:45 a.m., the suspect fired at least one round.

"He was hit once in the chest," Zipperman said.

The officer was wearing a bullet-resistant vest, which absorbed the round and possibly saved the officer's life, law-enforcement officials said.

[Updated at 1:45 p.m.: LAPD Chief Charlie Beck said, "The suspect fired multiple rounds in the officer's direction, striking the officer once in the chest." Beck said the officer fell backwards and hit his head, but was able to stumble back to his patrol car, where a Good Samaritan assisted him with making a radio call to dispatch to report that the officer was injured.

"We have over 350 Los Angeles police officers, sheriff's deputies, Highway Patrol and school police at the scene," Beck said.]