Washington police officer shot and killed responding to domestic violence call

(FOX News) - A Tacoma, Wash. police officer died late Wednesday after being shot several times while responding to a domestic violence call, officials said.

The male officer, who has not been identified, was shot by a suspect believed to be barricaded inside a home on Tacoma's east side with a gun. The officer was pronounced dead at 9:13 p.m. local time after undergoing emergency surgery at Tacoma General Hospital.

"We've suffered a great loss and I think the community has suffered a great loss," police spokesman Loretta Cool said. "I don't know how to put that into words."

Cool said the incident began at around 4 p.m. when two officers responded to the home after a report of a verbal dispute. She said the officers called for backup "a very short time later" and shots were fired almost immediately after reinforcements arrived.

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