Police Searching For Suspect Who 'Opened Fire' On Plainclothes Officer During Narcotics Investigation In Nicetown

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Authorities are investigating after gunfire erupted while police were conducting a narcotics investigation Tuesday.

It's still an active scene in the Nicetown area of Philadelphia as police have blocked off a large portion of this area than spans several blocks.

A narcotics investigation was underway in the area, involving a plainclothes police officer and an unmarked car. This was just before noon.

During the course of that investigation, the officer was approached by the suspect or had some encounter with him and that's when gunshots were exchanged.

"Here in this area of 4300 Clarissa Street, and also the 2000 block of Dennie Street, that narcotics investigating took the narcotics officers to that location. While they were conducting that narcotics investigation, a plainclothes narcotics officer was here on Clarissa Street. And someone who was the focus, or someone of interest in that investigation, approached the narcotics officer and opened fire. That's where you see the rounds behind me," Philadelphia Police Staff Insp. Sekou Kinebrew said.

"The officer, from his car, did, in fact, return fire, and at this point, we don't know if the discharge by the police officer actually struck anyone."

The police department's Internal Affairs Unit is investigating, along with the Gun Discharge Unit, as would be the case in any police-involved shooting.

Police are still searching for this suspect at this hour, checking local hospitals to see if he may have been struck by the gunfire and showed up there. The officer was not injured.