WASHINGTON -- Three police officers were shot in southeast Washington DC as a suspect continued to open fire from a residence, authorities said Wednesday.

The three officers suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were transported from the scene, said the Metropolitan Police Department.

Describing it as a "critical incident," the police said it is responding to a shooting in the 5000 block of Hanna Place SE, noting that the scene "remains active."

The US capital had seen a sharp rise in violent crime over the past year, with a 39 percent increase in violent crimes from 2022 to 2023, including a 35 percent rise in homicides and a 67 percent increase in robberies, according to police data.