A violent encounter resulted in the death of one Dallas police officer and injuries for two others.
The Thursday night incident began with an emergency call about an officer in distress and escalated into a shootout with a suspect.
The Dallas Police Department reported that around 10 p.m., officers responded to a call in the Oak Cliff area where they discovered an officer with gunshot wounds inside his marked patrol car. As other officers arrived at the scene, they engaged in a gunfight with a suspect. During this exchange, two additional officers were shot. The injured officers were transported to local hospitals, where one later died from his injuries. The remaining officers are in critical and stable conditions, respectively.
The identity of the fallen officer has not been revealed, and the names of the injured officers are also unknown at this time. The incident brings the total number of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in the United States this year to 93, with 38 of those deaths caused by gunfire, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page.
Following the shooting, the suspect fled the scene, prompting a high-speed chase that ended in Lewisville, a city about 30 miles north of Dallas. The suspect exited his vehicle armed with a long gun and was later shot by police. He was pronounced dead on the scene.
The investigation into the events in both Dallas and Lewisville is ongoing. Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia has expressed deep sorrow over the incident, citing the department’s loss and the officers’ injuries. Flags at Dallas municipal facilities will be flown at half-staff as a mark of respect.
Ney York Post, CNN and USA Today contributed to this report.
