Off-duty Merrionette Park police officer shot while driving on Chicago's South Side, police say

CHICAGO (WLS) -- An off-duty south suburban police officer is injured after she was shot while driving on Chicago's South Side Saturday night.

A 51-year-old woman was driving in the 2300-block of E. 103rd Street around 5:30 p.m. when someone in a white Chevy sedan fired shots at her vehicle, striking her, according to Chicago police.

Police said that officer then fired back, also hitting the suspected shooter.

The suspects in that sedan also crashed into another vehicle before running away.

Police still have the area blocked off to traffic as they continue to investigate.

Officials said the female off-duty officer who was shot is with the Merrionette Park Police Department.

Now, police are searching the SUV that was left in the middle of the road, along with the white Chevy sedan that crashed into a fence.

"I saw the stretcher for the ambulance [and] someone was lying on the stretcher going into the ambulance," said a witness who didn't want to be identified.

The witness is a woman who's lived in the neighborhood for 54 years and preferred not to show her face, but said she is shocked at what she saw just outside her door.

"It was a lot of commotion, a lot of ambulances, cars, police and stuff," she said. "It's really sad to hear what's going on. Every day you hear just so much crime."

It's unclear what led to this shooting but police said one person is now in custody

The officer and a 43-year-old bystander who was also shot were both taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center.

Police said they are expected to be okay.