SEE IT: Shots fired near cops in south Seattle, one officer returns fire

SEATTLE -- Dashcam video captured officers in the middle of a gun battle in south Seattle.

SPD told Q13 FOX News that they released the video for the sake of transparency.

Three officers involved are now on paid administrative, which is protocol, as the shooting is under investigation.

The dashcam video captured several officers questioning a domestic violence suspect on New Year’s Eve.

The suspect is sitting on the hood of the police car explaining what happened. Then out of nowhere, several gunshots.

Three officers immediately react. They all draw their guns while protecting the suspect behind the patrol car.

SPD says only one of their officers fired back.

“These police officers are essentially in the middle of an ambush,” David Aykens said.

Aykens is a tactical instructor for the military and law enforcement. Aykens says the cop who fired his weapon was not caught on the dashcam video but when he steps back into frame the cop calls for backup.

“He calls in, 'Shots fired.' He reloads his firearm; he is the only one who reloads,” Aykens said.

What we also don’t see in the video is whether or not the officer identified the suspect before firing back. Aykens says most departments require officers to lock onto the suspect before firing any shots.

“A more complete picture would be more forthcoming if we had more dashcam video from other units,” Aykens said.

But from the angle released, Aykens says, the officers acted appropriately.

“I can see nothing procedurally wrong they did -- exactly what their training would tell them to do,” Aykens said.

Seattle police would not go on camera except to say the video speaks for itself.

Even if the suspect was not specifically targeting the officers, Aykens says the cops still had no choice but to treat it as an ambush. SPD says the domestic violence suspect had nothing to do with the attack and the shooter is still on the loose.