A North Carolina police officer was shot several times early this morning[January 4] after pulling over a car in a traffic stop.

Around 2am in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27 year old Officer Nicholas Wayne Powell called for back up after smelling the scent of marijuana coming from a vehicle that he just pulled over. After asking the occupants to exit the car, one of the three occupants tried to re-enter the car and drive away, shooting Powell numerous times during the struggle.

Police Chief Barry Roundtree said Powell was shot several times and dragged about a quarter-mile. Rountree said Powell did not fire his gun and the suspect apparently shot himself during the struggle.

Powell, a five year veteran of the force, and the shooter received non-life threathening injuries in the melee.