. >> reporter: barbara thornton is the mother of the capitol police officer wounded last night during a shoot-out with a suspect. it happened in an apartment building parking lot right across from nasa in greenbelt. 31-year-old officer eddie thornton jr. was visiting his mother who runs a daycare center at the complex and a man ran up to them and said that there was another man firing a gun nearby. >> when this came out and started shoulding. i just felt like my -- my son ran to his car and he was going to his car and when he went to his car, he -- he got his gun. >> reporter: as barbara thornton called 911 she heard the rapid gunfire. >> mason -- you know, he was just shooting. he was wildly shooting at anything and everything. mason came and said mom, get up. and when i got up, he was -- liked at him and i saw he was shot. that's when i went bonkers. >> reporter: officer thornton was shot in the back. the suspect was also hit. so was a 12-year-old girl who lives in this apartment. she was grazed by a stray bullet that shattered a glass patio door. barbara thornton is proud of her so

barbara thornton is proud of her son who says he probably saved her life and the life of others. >> i am blessed, and i thank god that my son was there. at the time, i was hoping that he wouldn't do anything, but he did. and i am just glad that he is safe. i don't know how many people would have gotten shot if he had not been. but the man just kept walking towards us. >> reporter: the suspect also remains hospitalizeedthis morning. police say he got the gun from his roommate who is a military police officer over at nearby ft. myer. this started as an argument between the two roommates. none of the three people who were shot have life-threatening wounds. officer thornton is in stable condition this morning. his mother says today is his birthday. joe, back to you. >> michael, thank you very much. >>> this is the second shooting involving a capital police officer in just two days. on wednesday, officers shot and killed 27-year-old white just blocks from the capital building. he would not drop his gun.st he fired at the officers and was killed during the shoot-out. white has been arrested