Editor's note: This story has been updated to note a nearby elementary school was put on a brief lockdown. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- Two people were shot dead in Little Italy Wednesday morning, the San Diego Police Department confirmed. A short time later, a police officer was shot in what's believed to be a connected event, as well as the suspect who died from his injuries. "This morning at this scene we’re filled with a lot of emotion -- empathy," said SDPD Chief Scott Wahl. "We have two people that are deceased. We have one police officer that has been shot. But also with gratitude because this could have been much worse.” According to authorities, a call came in around 8:22 a.m. reporting gunfire in the 1300 block of Union Street near W A Street. Responding officers located two victims, a 31-year-old woman and and 39-year-old man, both of whom died from apparent gunshot wounds. Authorities say a man walked up to a gray sedan and opened fire on the two people inside. At that point, Harbor Police officers assisted SDPD in a search for a suspect. A person of interest was located on Juniper Street at Kettner Boulevard about 45 minutes later. A shooting ensued and a Harbor Police officer was struck in the hip. The officer was transported to a local hospital for treatment. In an update provided Wednesday afternoon, Harbor Police Chief Magda Fernandez said the injured officer is now recovering after undergoing surgery. He's been with the department for three months and has been in field training. Another rare ‘doomsday fish’ discovered in San Diego County “I did speak to him before he went into surgery…he was awake, he was alert and he was in good spirits,” Fernandez said. One witness, who didn’t want to be identified, showed FOX 5/KUSI cell phone video of a man running from the scene. FOX 5/KUSI is not showing it because it hasn’t been confirmed if that is the shooter. But the witness says he showed it to an officer and he also showed the officer a gun clip on the ground.  The witness also says he saw a woman inside the car who was shot multiple times, including in the head. A man with her, who was also shot, both were later pronounced dead at the scene. Wahl says officers located the shooter near the Crack Shack on Kettner Boulevard. Witnesses say he appeared to be hiding in a cul de sac moments later, and then heard a barrage of bullets. Workers who were in the process of opening up the Crack Shack say they immediately took cover. “It was a scary moment, to be honest, we were just like laying on the ground and that’s all for like 40 or 30 minutes,” a witness told FOX 5/KUSI. During the gun battle, the officers shot the suspect, a 26-year-old man. “The suspect was struck by gunfire he was transported to a local hospital and did pass away from his injuries from the gunshots,” Lt. Jud Campbell said. Wahl said what the officers did was nothing short of heroic. “Their ability to run towards gunfire and engage this individual I believe saved lives,” Wahl said. At this point they don’t have a motive for the first shooting, but all three of them did know each other.  An active homicide investigation is underway. Police are working to determine the motive for the initial shooting and what circumstances led up to it. "I do want to put out to the public that we believe there is no further threat to the community," Chief Wahl continued. A nearby elementary school was on a brief lockdown due to the shooting but that has since been lifted. FOX 5/KUSI's Tony Shin contributed to this report.