At least nine people were seriously injured early Sunday after a man opened fire in a busy entertainment area in downtown Tucson, Arizona, authorities said.

The alleged attacker was wounded by a Tucson Police officer, who responded to the shooting while patrolling the area on foot.

The shooting occurred on a street full of people

The incident occurred around 2:00 a.m., when numerous people were in the city center enjoying the nightlife.

Tucson Police Department spokesman Frank Magos explained that several officers assigned to foot patrols heard gunshots and immediately ran toward the location where the shots came from.

According to Magos, officers located the suspect and repeatedly ordered him to obey police instructions.

Given the situation, one of the agents fired his service weapon and wounded the alleged attacker, ending the threat.

Nine people remain hospitalized

After controlling the situation, the police provided first aid to both the suspect and the victims.

Authorities reported that nine adults were taken to area hospitals with gunshot wounds to the extremities and remained in critical condition.

The alleged attacker, whose identity has not been released, was also hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.

They investigate the origin of the attack

Tucson Police indicated that the motive for the shooting remains under investigation.

According to police sources cited by local media, investigators are analyzing whether the attack was the result of a previous altercation between two groups that were in the area.

Authorities requested the collaboration of anyone with information or videos of the incident to contribute to the investigation.

Because an officer shot the suspect, the investigation was left to the Pima County Sheriff's Office, in accordance with established protocol for cases involving police officers.

The mayor of Tucson, Regina Romero, described the incident as “another serious and senseless act of armed violence” and lamented the impact that this type of event has on the entire community.

For her part, former congresswoman Gabby Giffords, survivor of a gun attack that occurred in Tucson in 2011, expressed her dismay at the new episode of violence and thanked the emergency teams for the quick action while the investigations continue.