LOS ANGELES (AP) — An off-duty Los Angeles County deputy was shot early Sunday morning while he was driving and returned fire at the suspect, authorities said.

The deputy, whose name has not been released, was struck once in a lower extremity and is expected to survive his injuries, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in a news release.

The suspect remains at large, authorities said. It's not known if he was struck by gunfire before he ran away.

The deputy was driving in an unincorporated area of Los Angeles around 2:25 a.m. when he was approached by the suspect, who is believed to be about 20 years old.

The suspect pulled out a handgun and fired at the deputy, who was in the driver's seat of the vehicle, authorities said. The deputy fired back.

The other two people in the deputy's vehicle were not hurt.

Additional information, such as if the deputy knew the gunman, was not immediately available.