A police officer was killed and a suspect wounded in a shooting in North Texas

GREENVILLE, Texas (AP) — A police officer was killed and a suspect wounded during a shooting in North Texas, police said Tuesday.

Officer Cooper Dawson, 27, died at about 4:30 a.m. in a hospital following the shooting Monday evening in Greenville, about 45 miles (70 kilometers) northeast of Dallas, police Chief Chris Smith said.

“We are hurting as a department. We are hurting as a community,” Smith said at a Tuesday afternoon news conference.

The shooting happened after officers attempted to stop a driver who has multiple felony warrants, Smith said.

“The suspect then fled on foot,” Smith said. “Officer Dawson and his partner pursued the suspect, at which point the suspect opened fire, striking Officer Dawson.”

Smith said that despite being wounded, Dawson returned fire and hit the suspect, who was hospitalized in critical condition.

Authorities have not released the suspect’s name.

Smith said Dawson was a “excellent officer” who “was passionate about training.” He said that after he was shot, Dawson was able to apply his own tourniquet.

Dawson was married and had three children, Smith said. He said Dawson had worked for the police department in the Dallas suburb of Garland for seven years before joining the Greenville department about a year and a half ago. Dawson also served in the Army National Guard, Smith said.