An elderly man was shot by a Birmingham police officer Friday night after the officer went to the man's apartment on a welfare check and the man came to the door with a gun, police say.

The victim's son called police to ask for a welfare check on his father, who lived in the East Lake House in the 7900 block of First Avenue South, Birmingham police spokesman Lt. Sean Edwards said. When the officer and firefighters got to the door on the fourth floor, the man opened the door with a gun pointed at the officer.

The officer fired a couple of shots and hit the man, Edwards said.

The man was taken to UAB Hospital. He was in stable condition Friday night.

Edwards said the son had tried to check on his father a couple of times earlier in the evening and didn't get an answer.

It's possible the man has dementia, Edwards said.

The State Bureau of Investigation is looking into the case, as is standard for all officer-involved shootings.