SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KRON/AP) — Authorities say a Sacramento police officer was shot in a possible ambush Wednesday night in a neighborhood in the northern part of the city. 

The officer is in serious condition, as of 9 p.m., according to Sgt. Vance Chandler with the Sacramento Police Department. 

Following the shooting, the officer was taken to a nearby hospital. 

Police say the situation first began at noon Wednesday when officers got a call about a disturbance between a man and woman. 

Police made contact with the woman around 3:30 p.m., and later went to a separate location in the 200 block of Redwood Avenue to help the woman gather her belongings. 

Chandler says the police officer was shot around 6:10 p.m. in the yard of the residence by a suspect armed with a rifle.

The injured officer was taken to a nearby hospital at 6:59 p.m., according to police. 

The department said because of the seriousness of the situation, officers needed an armored vehicle.

Sgt. Chandler said once officers had that armored vehicle is when they were able to tend to the injured officer, about 50 minutes after the initial shots were fired. 

Police say the suspect was actively shooting as of approximately 8:20 p.m. Wednesday. 

Earlier in the evening, Sacramento City Councilmember Allen Warren said the officer is “hurt bad.” 

The female officer is believed to have serious injuries. 

Because of the gunman, police are warning residents to stay out of the area near the intersection of Redwood Avenue and Edgewater Road.

The police department says officers from multiple law enforcement agencies in the area are still on scene of the shooting.

Police reiterate the investigation is ongoing and the scene is active. 

At this point, police believe there is only one suspect.

As of 10:45 p.m., police opened an evacuation center at nearby Noralto Elementary School for residents displaced because of the shooting.

The elementary school is located at 477 Las Palmas in Sacramento. 

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