5 police officers in New Jersey gunned down on the street

CBS News in New York is reporting that five police officers were shot and two suspects were killed in an early morning shootout in Jersey City on Thursday.

Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy said during a morning news conference that of the five injured officers, two suffered serious injuries and were hospitalized. One was shot in the neck, but is expected to live, and another suffered a life-threatening gunshot to the face.

A spokesman for the hospital said that officer was in cardiac arrest when he arrived at the hospital, but has since stabilized.

Both officers are listed in critical condition at Jersey City Medical Center.

The incident began about 5 a.m. when officers were monitoring a parked vehicle associated with an armed bank robbery about 10-12 days ago, according to Healy.

Healy, describing the incident as "terrible" at a 10 a.m. press conference, said when the two suspects left a building to move the vehicle and an officer approached them, one of the individuals wielded an automatic shotgun and fired into a marked Jersey City police car.

"If our officer had not vacated the unmarked car we would not be talking about the officer right now," said Healy. "He'd be gone."

"The perpetrators went into an apartment at 24 Reed Street and baraced themselves. At that time, Jersey City police, emergency services and Port Authority services made entry into the building. The perpetrators started firing from inside the building," said Healy.

A shootout ensued between officers and the suspects.

"One of our Jersey City officers was hit in the neck and in the chest but he had a bullet proof vest on," added Healy. "He's been operated on and things are looking real good for him."

Another officer behind the injured cop was hit in the face, according to Healy.

"Things were not looking so good for him several hours ago, but the EMT have done a wonderful thing and now things have brightened up," said Healy.

"The people responsible for this were not only captured in the gunfight -- it was a terrible gunfight -- they were mortally wounded," the mayor added.

Jersey City Police Director Sam Jefferson said the incident went according to training police officers receive, despite the seemingly violent outcome of the shootout.

"All things being equal, this went according to the training that our officers get, according to God's will," said Jefferson.