Dubuque officer in stable condition after shooting near bar

Dubuque police confirm that one of their officers was shot on Thursday afternoon.

Police were called to Knicker's Saloon, at 2186 Central Ave., just after 1 p.m. where witnesses say an armed robbery was taking place.

Witnesses describe the scene inside.

"We got down on the floor and I grabbed my phone out of my coat and I got down on the floor and I tried calling several times and it wouldn't go through," said Mandy Molzof.

"Oh, when he poked me in the back with the shotgun, yeah I was scared, he said I didn't get down low enough for him and he didn't like it," Kenneth Schmidt said.

Terry Tobin, acting police chief in Dubuque, says after the men left the bar, one took off on foot. That's when the other man exchanged gunfire with the officer. At this point we don't know who fired the first shot.

Dubuque Police say the officer who was shot, Lt. Scott Baxter, is in stable condition. A witness tells TV9 that she saw Baxter get shot in the leg.

Baxter reportedly shot one of the suspects. Tobin would not comment on the severity of the injury, but did say the suspect is going into surgery.

Police secured a four block area at White Street and Central Ave. near the intersection with 20th.

Area schools were locked down:

Some area schools were locked down Thursday afternoon. Six of Dubuque's schools were locked down: Audubon, Prescott, Fulton, Central, Marshall and Jefferson. The lockdown caused buses to be about an hour late.

All of Dubuque's Holy Family Schools and Early Childhood centers, except St. Columbkilles and Resurrection were put on lockdown. That lockdown has been lifted and students will be released as normal.

Loras College was on lockdown for a few minutes, but was also given the all-clear.