Two police officers in a city near Columbus, Ohio, were shot and killed Saturday while responding to a 911 hangup call involving potential domestic abuse, the authorities said.

Chief Joe Morbitzer of the Westerville Police Department said the officers, Eric Joering, 39, and Anthony Morelli, 54, had responded at 12:10 p.m., eight minutes after the call, about a “potential domestic situation.”

“As they went into the apartment they were immediately met with gunfire, and both officers were shot,” Chief Morbitzer said at a news conference on Saturday afternoon. He paused several times to choke back tears.

Officer Joering, a 16-year veteran of the department, died at the scene. Officer Morelli, a 29-year veteran, was transported to the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus in critical condition and later died. Officer Joering had a wife and four daughters, and Officer Morelli had a wife and two children.