Lubbock, TX – Two Texas Tech University police officers are recovering after a violent shootout on the Lubbock campus early Tuesday morning that left an armed suspect dead.
The incident unfolded at approximately 12:45 a.m. in a parking lot on the north side of Jones AT&T Stadium when two university police officers approached a suspicious vehicle. According to a statement from the Lubbock Police Department, the individual inside the vehicle produced a firearm and opened fire on the officers.
The officers returned fire, striking the suspect. The alleged gunman was pronounced dead at the scene. His identity has not yet been released pending notification of next of kin.
Both officers sustained gunshot wounds and were transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Texas Tech Police Chief Kyle Bonath confirmed in a press briefing Tuesday afternoon that one of the officers has since been released, while the second remains hospitalized for further medical procedures.
“What occurred last night is a very vivid example of the courage and commitment our officers show as they keep our communities safe, and for that, we’re profoundly grateful,” said Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec. He expressed his gratitude to the officers for their “quick and professional” response.
The Lubbock Police Department’s Metropolitan Special Crimes Unit has taken over the investigation into the officer-involved shooting. Investigators remained on the scene for several hours, with video from the location showing numerous evidence markers near a police cruiser and a pickup truck with shattered windows.
Authorities have not yet specified what initially drew the officers’ attention to the vehicle. It is also not immediately known if the deceased individual had any affiliation with the university.
President Schovanec assured the university community that there was no ongoing threat to the campus. Due to the swift containment of the incident and the reduced number of students on campus for the summer session, a campus-wide alert was not issued overnight. A memo detailing the event was sent to the university community later Tuesday morning.
This incident marks another instance of gun violence involving the Texas Tech Police Department. In 2017, Officer Floyd East Jr. was shot and killed inside the campus police headquarters by a student who had been brought in for a welfare check.
The investigation into Tuesday’s shooting is active and ongoing. Authorities are expected to release more information as it becomes available.
