The city of Dnipro in eastern Ukraine is observing a day of mourning on September 26 to honor two traffic police officers killed in the line of duty in the city the previous day.

Officials said the two police officers were shot dead by a former police officer on September 25.

Police say they detained the alleged gunman, Oleksandr Puhachov, hours later in a hospital, where he was undergoing surgery in connection with a gunshot wound he apparently suffered during the shooting.

Investigators say the incident took place when the traffic police officers stopped Puhachov's vehicle for an alleged traffic violation.

Puhachov then opened fire when the police officers tried to identify him, police officials said.

Puhachov, a former officer of the Interior Ministry's Tornado special police unit, was wanted on suspicion of kidnapping, creating an organized criminal group, and sexual abuse.

Investigators said on September 26 that Puhachov has denied the allegations.

Based on reporting by UNIAN and Ukrinform.ua