A teenage boy who allegedly opened fire on police during a chase in Brooklyn has been charged with attempted murder and criminal use of a firearm.

Long Island resident Elijah Foster, 17, was approached by three plainclothes officers while he was riding his bicycle on a sidewalk in East New York, according to the New York City Police Department.

Investigators say the teen dropped the bike and ran into a building at 454 Bradford Street, where the officers cornered him in a third-floor stairwell.

Police say Foster then opened fire, hitting Police Officer Ricardo Ramirez in the leg.

Ramirez and another officer returned fire, hitting the teen three times.

Foster and Ramirez were taken to separate hospitals and both are expected to recover.

Police recovered the gun they say the teenager used.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly say the officer was extremely lucky he was not more seriously wounded.

"The gun that was recovered at the scene from the perpetrator has a capacity of seven rounds. In the cylinder of the gun, there were six expended rounds and one live round,” said Kelly.

"Officer Ramirez patrols our streets night and day and one of the toughest challenges he faces is catching people who carry illegal guns like this one,” said the mayor. “It is highly dangerous work and it is hugely important because if Officer Ramirez and his team had not confronted the suspect, the shooter would still be on the street, and he may well have killed innocent New Yorkers."

Ramirez, 29, has been with the NYPD for four years.