Authorities say Minneapolis police officer Jamal Mitchell was ambushed in a shooting that left three people dead

A 28-year-old Minneapolis police officer was “ambushed” and shot on Thursday afternoon by a man he was trying to provide medical care to, state officials said in a late-night press conference.

The police officer who was shot was identified as Jamal Mitchell, an officer who had only been on the force for two years, said Minneapolis Deputy Police Chief Katie Blackwell.

The fatal shots were fired as Mitchell and another officer responded to a shooting outside an apartment complex near downtown.

“He was running toward danger,” said Drew Evans, head of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. “We responded to a 911 call and the first thing he did when he got out of his car was to help the victims at the scene and he was ambushed.”

Evans said Mitchell immediately drove to the scene to provide medical aid to a victim. When he got out of his patrol car, the same man whose life Mitchell was trying to save pulled out a gun and shot him, Evans said. He added the horrific encounter was recorded by Mitchell’s body-worn camera.

The two civilians killed have not been identified, nor has the second officer who was injured. The suspect was shot by police at the scene, Blackwell said, and emergency responders were unable to revive him.

Mitchell died in a downtown hospital “despite all life-saving efforts,” Blackwell said, fighting back tears. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said Mitchell was a “courageous hero” who rescued an elderly couple from a house fire on his third day on the job – a feat that made the rounds on local television news at the time.

Mitchell was a father, Blackwell said, and his family was suffering “tremendously.”

“He was courageous in everything he did,” she said. “He was a wonderful human being… He was extraordinary in every way.”

Representative Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), who represents part of the city, was the first to confirm that an officer had been killed in the massacre.

“The killing of a police officer in Minneapolis and the wounding of another officer and other victims is a terrible tragedy,” she said. “We await further details.”

Blackwell said a firefighter was also injured by gunfire, but his injuries were not life-threatening. The other officer’s injuries were also not life-threatening, she added, although Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips wrote in a statement that the officer was “fighting for his life.” A bystander was also hit by gunfire and was in critical condition Thursday evening, Evans said.

Evans said authorities would soon release more information about the suspect. He said those involved in the initial shooting before Mitchell arrived were likely “known to each other.”

“The ongoing violence and disrespect towards police is widespread and we must immediately restore a culture of consequences,” Phillips said.

Police said the shooting occurred in the Whittier neighborhood, an up-and-coming area that is home to the Minneapolis Institute of Art and a number of trendy restaurants. Videos from the scene showed police officers arriving in armored vehicles, automatic rifles slung over their shoulders.

A motive for the shooting was not disclosed. Further details about the shooting, such as how many shots were fired and what type of firearms were used, were not released.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz released a statement on the shooting and said he was praying for emergency responders. In a press conference Thursday evening, he said the rise in police-involved shootings in Minnesota “cannot be the norm.”

The Minnesota Star-Tribune reported that dozens of officers were taken to a downtown hospital after calls of “officer down” were heard over the radio. There, the newspaper said, officers cried and consoled each other.