An 18-year-old Liverpool man faces three counts of first-degree attempted murder after Syracuse police say he fired shots at three officers Tuesday afternoon near Skiddy Park.

Police said officers assigned to warrant detail looking for illegal guns in the city reported that around 3:30 p.m., they saw a man acting suspicious on the corner of Oswego and Fabius streets, and they approached him with their car.

When the officers got out of the car, they said the suspect turned and fired shots at the officers, then he fled on foot. Syracuse Police Chief Joe Cecile said the officers did not return fire.

Those officers, with the help of patrol officers, caught the suspect at Tully Street. Police said the suspect, 18-year-old Tajh Smith, had a .45-caliber handgun with him. 

None of the officers were injured in the incident.

Smith is charged with three counts of attempted murder in the first degree. 

"The good guys are winning and the good guys are going to continue to win," Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh said at a Wednesday press conference. "When you are carrying guns around this city, we are eventually going to find you, we are going to arrest you and we are going to hold you accountable."

Cecile said the police department had stepped up "pro-active" anti-gun violence patrols in the wake of the shooting death of 11-year-old Brexialee Torres-Ortiz last week. Cecile said officers recovered eight illegal guns just on Tuesday.

In that case, Cecile said police "have made some very good progress," but didn't elaborate.