POCATELLO — A local man shot two Pocatello police officers with an AR-15 rifle during an incident early Thursday morning in a residential neighborhood near City Hall, authorities said.

The shooter, Todd Vernon Brewer, 45, of Pocatello, was armed with an AR-15 and a shotgun when he exchanged gunfire with police, authorities said. Brewer was shot by police in the shootout. Both of the officers and Brewer are currently being treated at Portneuf Medical Center in Pocatello, according to police.

Bannock County Prosecutor Steve Herzog during a press conference held at City Hall Thursday afternoon said he intends to charge Brewer with two felony counts of aggravated battery on certain personnel with the intent to commit a serious felony and two felony enhancements for Brewer allegedly using a weapon during the commission of a felony crime.

Other officers at the scene of the shootout made the decision to immediately transport the two seriously wounded officers via police patrol vehicles to PMC rather than waiting for ambulances to arrive and the move might have saved the officers' lives. Brewer was transported via Pocatello Fire Department ambulance to the hospital. 

Police said the wounded officers are in stable condition at PMC and are expected to survive. Brewer is also expected to survive.

Brewer is a former Utah resident and has a minimal criminal record, including charges of misdemeanor marijuana possession and simple assault in Utah.

Pocatello Police Chief Roger Schei during the press conference said the initial 911 call at the shooting scene at 941 E. Bridger St. was for a disturbance and was phoned in to police dispatch at 1:39 a.m. Thursday. Several Pocatello police officers arrived at the scene within two minutes, Schei said.

"As they approached the residence, the officers contacted (Brewer) in the yard and gave him commands," Schei said during the press conference. "Officers observed (Brewer) was armed with a rifle that he raised toward the officers. At that time shots were fired by the officers."

After the officers fired, Brewer retreated from the yard of the home and toward an adjacent alleyway, said Schei, adding that officers followed him into the alley and an exchange of gunfire between Brewer and officers ensued. Brewer fired an AR-15 at the officers but also had a shotgun.

"One officer was hit, we believe, approximately three times, another officer was struck one time and Brewer was struck as well, we believe at this point two times, but we are doing further research on that," Schei said.

Two other people were in the 941 E. Bridger home at the time of the shooting and are currently cooperating with the police investigation, Schei said. 

The names of the wounded officers and the severity of their injuries were not released during the press conference. Schei also did not comment on what motivated Brewer to allegedly shoot at police. Further details on the initial 911 call to police have not yet been made available.

Schei said he and Pocatello Mayor Brian Blad both responded to PMC to check on the wounded officers and numerous members of the community as well as several law enforcement agencies have reached out to offer their support. Schei also thanked his officers and dispatchers for their hard work.

"How the officers and dispatch responded, they did a good job," Schei said. "The community has responded very great and has had nothing but support for the injured officers."

Schei continued, "These officers, I know them. I've trained them and worked with them their whole careers. When you see that (some) of your people are hurt like that, you take that to heart."

The officers involved in the incident were wearing body cameras that were active, said Schei, adding that police investigators are working to determine whether or not Brewer was under the influence of any drugs or alcohol when the shooting occurred.

Pocatello police detectives and crime scene specialists will remain on the 900 block of East Bridger Street between North Eighth and North Ninth avenues, which has been shut down because of the incident, until late Thursday night and the public should avoid the area until further notice, police said.

Tamara Code, a neighbor who lives on the corner across the street from where the incident occurred, told the Idaho State Journal late Thursday morning that she slept through the entire shooting.

“I’m amazed that I slept through it all, but it was definitely scary to wake up to something like this," Code said. "There were a lot of bright lights and the police were looking everywhere, like they were on their hands and knees in the grass searching. I was like, ‘What the hell's going on?’ I mean, I just really wanted to know why there were so many police around my house."

Code said police officers searched the exterior of her home for any bullet holes from stray shots, though none were immediately located. In spite of the unnerving incident, Code says she still feels safe living where she does.

"I’ve lived in this house for about a year and I’ve never seen anything like this happen," she said. "I think it was just a one-time thing, so I still feel completely safe here. I've never had any problems.”

The shooting occurred in a neighborhood near City Hall, the U.S. Courthouse and Holy Spirit Catholic School.

This is the second time in the last two decades in which a Pocatello Police officer was shot, Schei said. The previous incident occurred on a day in 2006 in which Schei was working as a detective with the Police Department. The suspect was fatally shot by the Pocatello police who were trying to arrest him on warrants during that incident and multiple officers were wounded.

Brewer will be transported and incarcerated at the Bannock County Jail in Pocatello upon his release from PMC, authorities said.

If convicted of the two felony charges and two felony weapons enhancements against him, Brewer faces up to 80 years in prison.

The East Idaho Critical Incident Task Force will investigate the officer-involved shooting with the Bannock County Sheriff's Office serving as the lead agency, police said.

Schei said the outpouring of support Pocatello police have received from throughout Idaho has definitely helped them cope with the incident.

"Thank you for the emails and the phone calls," Schei said. "I have received them from all over the state."

The Pocatello Fire Department and the Chubbuck Police Department were among the many in the first responder community to express support for Pocatello police soon after the shooting occurred.

"Our hearts and prayers go out to our brothers and sisters in blue and the amazing dispatchers who worked this incident," the Pocatello Fire Department said via Facebook Thursday morning. "Prayers for a speedy recovery for the injured officers."

The Chubbuck Police Department said via Facebook, "(We) extend our heartfelt thoughts and prayers to the injured Pocatello Police officers, their families and co-workers. Please keep them in your thoughts and give them strength, as well as the medical professionals who are caring for them and watching over them."