Two Baltimore police officers shot and wounded a northwes Baltimore man early today after the man allegedly fired five shots at the officers, police said.

The two police officers were not wounded, but the su Officers Mark Frank, 31, and Milton E. Coleman Jr., 32, of the Western District were on routine patrol shortly after 5 a.m. when they spotted a 1986 Toyota driven by a man, with a female passenger, pulling into an alley behind the 1300 block of Laurens St., said police.

He was listed in serious condition at the University of Maryland Medical Center,Police said.They learned later that the car the man was driving had been stolen May 4 in the city.

Officers Mark Frank,31, and Milton E. Coleman jr.,32,of the Western District were on routinepatrol shortly after 5 a.m when ,, they spotted a 1986 Toyota driven by a man, with a female passenger,pulling into an alley behind the 1300 block of Laurens St.,said police

Investigators said the officers followed the vehicle while waiting for a computer to check the car's license tags against a list of stolen vehicles.

The car then pulled into a private lot, police said. The passenger got out and walked away, then the driver emerged and walked toward the passenger side of the police car, which had stopped nearby, said police.

The officers began conducting a "field interview," asking the man to produce some identification, police said.

The man returned to his car reached out holding a long-barreled .22-caliber Smith and Wesson revolver,which he fired at the officers five times,said police.

The officers both armed with the city new 9mm Glock semiautomatic handguns returned fire, striking Veney six times, police said they could not say immediately how many shots the officers fired.