Arizona police officer, suspect killed in Flagstaff shooting

A 24-year-old police officer and a suspect died after a shootout Saturday afternoon.

Officer Tyler Stewart died at Flagstaff Medical Center after he was shot by a suspect in a domestic violence case, police said.

Stewart was looking for the suspect about 1:30 p.m. on West Clay Avenue when a man identified as Robert W. Smith, 28, of Prescott, fired several shots at him, police said. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

Stewart was taken to Flagstaff Medical Center in critical condition and later died, police said.

Police had said earlier that they were looking for another person involved in the domestic violence case, the Arizona Republic reported. But police would not comment on that person’s involvement in the incident, the Republic reported.

Stewart had worked at the department for less than a year, police said. He was a graduate of Boulder Creek High School in Anthem, Ariz., and Concordia College in California.

“This is an enormous tragedy for our department and the family of our officer,” Flagstaff Police Chief Kevin Treadway said in a statement. “We are a very close knit organization, and know that all members of the Flagstaff Police Department are grieving at this time. With that being said, all of the men and women of the Flagstaff Police Department extend our prayers and condolences to the family of our Officer Tyler Stewart.”