The officer, who was working alone, was interviewing the driver of a Mitsubishi he had pulled over at about 4:30 p.m. when the passenger stepped out the car and began shooting at the officer, said Tacoma Police spokeswoman Tracy Conaway.

The officer, whose name has not been released, was in stable condition and recovering at Tacoma General Hospital from a non-life threatening injury, Conaway said.

Luck and calm communication with the police dispatcher played a big role in saving his life, she added. An off-duty police officer, who just happened to be a few blocks away when the injured officer's call came in, rushed to the scene and joined the shootout. At least a dozen shots were fired.

There were no other injuries and the only property damage was sustained by a parked car not involved in the incident, Conaway said.

The suspect was an Asian man in his 20s. The driver was being interviewed by detectives and had not been charged with any crime Saturday evening.