LAKESIDE, Calif. (AP) — Two sheriff ’s deputies and a suspected child molester have been injured during a 15- minute shootout in suburban San Diego, authorities said.

Daniel Robert Witczak, 30, opened fire as a team of deputies arrived to investigate allegations of child abuse, the sheriff ’s department said.

Sgt. Craig Johnson and Detective Ali Perez were wounded in the exchange of gunfire Tuesday at an apartment in Lakeside, a semi-rural community east of San Diego. Sheriff Bill Gore declined to specify their injuries but said in the statement that the department was “hopeful and cautiously optimistic” about their recovery.

Witczak’s girlfriend had alleged that she found pornographic pictures of her two daughters, ages 6 and 8, on his cellphone, according U-T San Diego.

The girlfriend met with investigators and called Witczak with detectives listening in to confront him about the photos. Witczak told her he was offered $50,000 to post the images on the Internet.