An off-duty Birmingham police officer was shot multiple times Sunday while responding to a report of a robbery, the department chief said.

Birmingham Police Chief Patrick Smith told news outlets that the officer was shot three times, twice in the abdomen and once underneath his arm. A manhunt is underway for two suspects.

“This is a very active crime scene,” Smith said.

The shooting happened in the Woodlawn community. The officer was working security at a church Sunday morning when the radio call came of a nearby robbery.

Smith said the officer confronted the suspects, and that’s when the shooting occurred. Investigators believe the officer returned fire, but it is unknown if the suspects were shot, Smith said.

The shooting happened shortly after 9:30 a.m.

The officer was taken to a hospital for surgery. His condition was not immediately available.

The officer has been with the department since 2005, Smith said. He was working security at the Church of the Highlands, a large non-denominational church in the area.