Alabama trooper 2 suspects wounded in gun battle

HARTFORD, Ala. - An Alabama State Trooper was hospitalized in stable condition after he was wounded in a gun battle that also left two suspects injured on a southeast Alabama road.

The gunfire began as a traffic stop, but quickly turned into a shootout between the trooper and the suspects around 5:30 p.m. Saturday on County Road 57 in Geneva County.

Trooper Lee Phillips was pulling over a Toyota for a traffic violation when the vehicle came to an abrupt stop, two men got out and opened fire on the trooper, who returned fire, authorities said.

Phillips was listed in stable condition at Flowers Hospital Saturday night, a State Patrol spokesman told The Dothan Eagle.

Both suspects were wounded and taken to hospitals. Their conditions weren't immediately known.

Despite his injuries, Phillips was able to apprehend one of the suspects, authorities said.

The other suspect took off on foot, prompting a search that included K-9 units, patrol cars, law enforcement officials with automatic weapons and at least one helicopter, the Dothan newspaper reported.

The second suspect was apprehended soon after.

The Alabama Bureau of Investigation was investigating the case.

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