DETROIT, MI (WXYZ) — Detroit police officers are mourning the loss of a five-year veteran who was shot and killed in the line of duty Wednesday evening.
RELATED: Detroit police officer, suspect die after shooting on city's west side
The incident happened around 7:30 p.m. near Joy Road and Marlowe Street on Detroit's west side.
The Detroit Police Department said it received calls of a person firing shots in that area around 7:15 p.m..
When officers arrived on scene, one officer was shot by a suspect with a Draco assault weapon, Chief James White said.
That officer has died of his injuries.
The suspect in this case was also shot and killed by the officer's partner.
While officers know what they signed up for, Police Chief James White says it does not make a loss any easier.
Like others in the community, officers expect to go home to their families, but instead, one officer is sitting in a body bag.
“We have an officer and a family with a debt that we can never repay,” Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said.
"The officers are heartbroken," Chief White adds.
A thick cloud of sadness hovered over Detroit's west side Thursday night as officers fell into each other's arms.
Chief White now asking the Detroiters to put the guns down for the sake of the community and his department.
"Regardless of where you stand or what side of the political aisle you’re on with this issue of gun violence, there’s entirely too much gun violence and now, we’ve got an officer who has paid the ultimate sacrifice, putting his life on the line for you and me," Cheif White said. "Enough is enough.”
Neighbors living close to the shooting scene say it was horrific. They're hoping for a future of peace and respect for human life.
"Come on people, we better than this," one neighborhood resident said.
"This is happening not just to civilians but police officers as you can see, so we need everybody to cooperate right now, this is a cry out for help."
The name of the fallen officer and suspect have yet to be released, but Chief James Whites says the officer came from a family of law enforcement. His father had just recently retired.
