A Dallas woman involved in a murder-suicide on Saturday told a 911 dispatcher she shot and killed a local police officer because he abused her, KTXA-TV reported.

Assistant Police Chief Randy Blankenbaker said at a press conference on Monday that 42-year-old Otto Machelle Thomas called the dispatcher after killing Officer Larry Tuttle, saying, “He was getting ready to hit me again and I just went off. I killed him because he was going to hit me again.”

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Thomas, who identified herself during the call as Tuttle’s girlfriend, said she shot Tuttle inside his apartment, telling the dispatcher to inform police that her 6-year-old autistic daughter was also inside. Blankenbaker said Thomas called 911 again after police arrived, as officers tried to convince her to put the gun down before going in. It is not clear whether Thomas spoke to a 911 dispatcher during this second call.

Instead, he said, they heard a gunshot from inside the apartment. Both Tuttle and Thomas were found dead inside. Tuttle had been shot several times. Thomas was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

According to the Dallas Morning News, authorities believe Thomas recently lost her own apartment. It is not clear whether she and her daughter were staying with Tuttle at the time of the shooting.

Local Child Protection Services officials are working to place the girl in the custody of relatives living in Mississippi.

Watch KTXA’s report, as aired on Monday, below.

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[h/t The Free Thought Project]