A prowling suspect was shot by Atlanta police around daybreak Thursday after he allegedly pulled a handgun on an officer.

The incident happened behind a Family Dollar store in the 3500 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.

Atlanta police Lt. Paul Guerrucci told the AJC that an officer responding to the 7 a.m. call about a prowler “did in fact locate a suspicious person behind the location.”

“During the engagement, the subject pulled a weapon on the officer,” Guerrucci said. “The officer subsequently pulled his weapon and shots were fired.”

Guerrucci said the suspect was hit at least twice, and was taken to a local hospital in critical but stable condition. His identity was not immediately available.

The officer, whose name has also not been released, was not injured. He was put on administrative leave, standard procedure after being involved in a shooting.