COVINGTON, Ga. - The officer involved in Monday's shooting near the Walmart on Industrial Boulevard is in serious condition at an Atlanta hospital. A male was found dead in the woods adjacent to where the shooting occurred. 

Covington Police Department Capt. Ken Malcom said there were three suspects involved in a call for service for shoplifting at the Walmart. Officers were able to apprehend two of the individuals in the superstore, while the third fled on foot towards the Little Phillie's parking lot.

"One of the officers that was giving chase was our on-duty sergeant, he ran around the east end of the building while the other officer went around the west end of the building," he said. "As the sergeant was coming around the east end of the building, he heard two gunshot. As he made his way around the building he found one of our officers injured by a gunshot, unconscious. At that point, the other individual that was being chased was not found. 

"A short time later there was a sound of another gunshot went off in the wooded area. As we investigated that - we went closer to the situation - we found an individual that had sustained a gunshot. Whether or not it was self-inflicted, I cannot confirm that with you."

The CPD officer was transported to WellStar Atlanta Medical Center via air ambulance. 

"The officer's condition is serious," according to an update from CPD Public Information Officer Justin Stott.

Malcom said he would not be releasing identifying information of any of the suspects or CPD personnel involved in the case at this time. 

"He's not a rookie officer," Malcom said during a press conference Monday afternoon. "He's one of our finest officers. We're just praying for his health."

"It's very heavy on all of our hearts," he said. "We're praying, just like we're going to ask everyone else that's viewing this. Please pray for our officers, please pray for his health and that he can pull through."

"It is unclear if our officer fired any shots," according to the release from Stott.  "GBI (Georgia Bureau of Investigations) is investigating that."  

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The Covington News will continue to update this story as information becomes available.