A police-involved shooting in Melrose has left one suspect hospitalized and another at large Sunday.

Police say the incident happened at around 12:30 a.m. when three officers were on patrol say they saw two men spray painting graffiti in front of 6-77 Elton Ave.

The officers approached the men, who took off running.

An officer was able to grab one of the suspects who tried to fight him off near the intersection of East 153rd Street and Third Avenue, around a block away from where the suspects were first seen. 

NYPD Chief Terence Monahan says the suspect pulled out a semi-automatic handgun and fired at least three times at the officers.

He says that three officers returned fire, striking him multiple times. Monahan says the shooting shows the dangers that officers face to keep residents safe.

“Whether they are stopping someone who is making graffiti or responding to a known shooting—there are too many guns on the streets of New York City,” Monahan says.

The suspect was taken to Lincoln Hospital where he is in critical condition. Detectives are still searching for the second suspect.

Detectives are looking at the original graffiti to see if there are any clues to the identity of that suspect.