At least one Dallas police officer was killed and two others were wounded in a shooting Thursday night in southeast Oak Cliff, multiple police officials told The Dallas Morning News.
More than 20 units responded about 10:10 p.m. to an assist officer call in the 900 block of East Ledbetter Drive, near South Marsalis Avenue, according to an online police call log.
Dallas police spokeswoman Kristin Lowman said responding officers found an officer who’d been shot in his marked patrol vehicle. Officers exchanged gunfire with a suspect, and two other officers were shot, Lowman said.
The officers were taken to hospitals, where one died, one is in critical condition and the other is listed as stable, Lowman said.
The suspect drove away and was pursued by Dallas police officers to Lewisville, where the suspect exited a vehicle with a long gun, Lowman said. Dallas officers fired, killing him.
The names of the officers involved and the suspect were not released.
“Our department is hurting,” Lowman said. “We ask tonight and this morning for the thoughts and prayers of our city, for not only those who are recovering in the hospital, but for our fallen, for their family and for their loved ones, and for us as a department as well.”
Police officials said an “extensive investigation is underway” at the community center where the shooting occurred, which is called “For Oak Cliff.”
Lewisville police spokespeople said in a post on Facebook that Dallas police officers were involved in a pursuit on Interstate 35E, just north of State Highway 121 Business, when “shots were fired,” killing the suspect and shutting the highway down. No Lewisville officers were involved.
Police officials searched an empty white Buick that appeared to have shattered back windows and a flat back tire. Dozens of police vehicles lined the closed-off highway. A body lay under a sheet in the street.
In a post on X early Friday, Dallas police Chief Eddie García said “No words.” He attached a photo of a Dallas police badge above the city of Dallas with a dark blue line across the center.
About 1:15 a.m., dozens of Dallas police officers stood quietly outside the emergency room entrance to Methodist Hospital. They stood in two parallel lines, with the honor guard closest to the entrance, and waited. Police squad cars lined the blocks leading up to the hospital, their emergency lights flashing.
A Dallas police vehicle drove to the hospital minutes later, and officers helped escort an older woman out of the car. The officers surrounding the vehicle straightened, then saluted as the woman exited the vehicle and slowly walked inside the hospital with a group.
The two lines of officers broke after she went inside. One officer wrapped one of his arms around a colleague and held her against his shoulder, staring out at the street. Others came by and also hugged the officer, who appeared to wipe away tears.
Lowman said the chief is expected to release more information in the coming days.
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