Dallas paramedic shot, taken to hospital for surgery, authorities say

By: Stephanie Staudinger

Posted: May 1, 2017 3:09 PM CDT

DALLAS -- (CBS NEWS) A Dallas paramedic was shot while responding to a shooting call and the scene remains active, authorities say.

The City of Dallas released a statement Monday saying officers were responding to a shooting around 11:30 a.m. when a Dallas Fire-Rescue EMT Unit was struck. The city says a paramedic was hit, transported to Baylor Hospital and is undergoing surgery.

Police along with SWAT teams are looking for an unidentified man who is bald and may be walking with a limp, wearing a dark green shirt and jeans, CBS DFW reports. He may be armed with a rifle.

Authorities say the shooting occurred near the Dolphin Road Fire Training Academy in Dallas. Dozens of police vehicles could be seen swarming the mostly residential neighborhood near Interstate 30.

Lawyer and former police officer Pete Schulte told CBS DFW that the massive police turnout was necessary to try and contain the area and locate the suspect.

"Once they get the perimeter set up they can start the detailed search that's required," he said. "I think they're still trying to figure out where exactly this gunman possibly could be, so they can set up a very synced perimeter and get the search going from house-to-house, from backyard-to-backyard, and from car-to-car to find this person."

The Dallas Police Association tweeted earlier Monday that officers responding to an active shooter were "pinned down" by gunfire.

"Please keep the injured EMT and his family in your thoughts and prayers," the Dallas Police Department tweeted