Hundreds of sympathizers showed up for a candlelight vigil on Sunday for a police officer in Flagstaff, Arizona who was shot dead in a city residential neighborhood.

Mourners also gathered in a separate candlelight vigil at the Community Park and Railroad Park in Anthem simultaneously.

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Officer Tyler Jacob Stewart, 24, had served as police less than a year. He is a graduate of Boulder Creek High School in Anthem and California's Concordia College.

Flagstaff officer Sgt. Margaret Bentzen said Stewart was rushed to Flagstaff Medical Center with critical injuries on Saturday after he sustained gunshot wounds in the face.

The department announced the officer's death just before 6 in the evening.

Investigators said Stewart responded to a domestic violence call and got in touch with the suspect's girlfriend at 11 AM in a Litzler neighborhood.

She told Stewart that she and her boyfriend, Robert Smith, 28, had a fight and that Smith already left the neighborhood. The police officer found Smith at his place in another neighborhood.

Investigators added talks between Smith and Stewart were calm. When the officer asked to check the suspect  for firearms, Smith fired at the officer with a gun he got from his pocket.

Based on the preliminary investigation, Stewart could not return fire with the rapid onslaught of rounds from the suspect. After Stewart fell to the ground, Smith still fired his gun. He then left the area and shot and killed himself.

Flagstaff Mayor Jerry Nabours said it is heartbreaking to lose a police officer and the city collectively mourns for his family and the entire department.

TagsArizona, police shooting