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A St. Louis police officer was shot early Tuesday morning in the Central West End. The shooting occured shortly before 5 a.m. on Maryland Avenue, between Kingshighway and N. Euclid. Authorities believe he was ambushed.

The suspect is still at large, KTVI TV reports.

The officer was rushed to an area hospital with what appears to be non-life threatening injuries. He was released shortly before 10 a.m.

According to a tweet from St. Louis City Police Chief Sam Dotson, the officer’s ballistic vest did its job.

The 39-year-old St. Louis Police Sergeant is a sixteen year veteran of the force. Investigators say he was sitting in his personal car, in full uniform, while working secondary patrol when he observed three male subjects walking in the area. A short time later, a car, occupied by the same three men, along with a fourth person, pulled directly in front of the officer’s vehicle. One suspect exited the passenger side of the car and began firing shots at the officer. The officer, still seated in his vehicle, was shot in the upper torso, with a bullet striking his bullet-proof vest.