Colorado man opens fire on officer with AR-15 at traffic stop for no headlights

A Colorado man is in critical condition on Wednesday after he used an AR-15 assault rifle to fire at an officer and then was shot himself.

A Longmont Police Department press release obtained by the Coloradoan said that the 36-year-old police officer had stopped the suspect at about 2:15 a.m. on Tuesday for driving without headlights.

The suspect got out of his vehicle and "advanced on the officer and began firing multiple rounds at the officer with an AR-15-style rifle," the statement said.

The officer returned fire, hitting the man three or more times. The department said that the officer had not been injured in the shoot out.

Some portions of Ken Pratt Boulevard were expected to be closed while the shooting was investigated. The department was following its standard procedure of placing the officer on administrative leave during the investigation.

[Photo Man holding assault rifle via Shutterstock]