Texas police chief shot dead as he tried to arrest driver who was wanted for graffiti

Local police chief Michael Pimentel was twice shot outside a home in Elmendorf, Texas, on Saturday morning

He was reportedly serving a warrant to a 24-year-old male wanted on a graffiti charge

The suspect, Joshua Lopez, is now in custody and facing a capital murder charge

Five officers have now been killed in Texas in 2014, three of which were shot

The police chief of a small Texas town was shot dead on Saturday while attempting to arrest a man on a warrant, authorities said.



Elmendorf Police Chief Michael Pimentel was shot twice - once in the shoulder and once in the abdomen - outside the house of the suspect as he attempted to arrest him.



According to KSAT 5, the male suspect, identified as Joshua Lopez, 24, is now in custody and was wanted for a graffiti charge.



However he is now facing a charge of capital murder of a police officer.



Killed in the line of duty: Michael Pimentel was allegedly shot twice by a 24-year-old who was wanted on a graffiti charge in the small Texas town of Elmendorf on Saturday morning Scene: The incident happened near East 9th Street and South 1st Avenue at around 11.40 am in Elmendorf, a small town of 1,500 people, located about 25 miles southeast of San Antonio

Pimental - who was in his 60s and has served as police chief in Elmendorf for more than a year - is believed to have been kiled in the street of the small town of 1,500 people, located about 25 miles southeast of San Antonio.

Exact details of the shooting have not been released.



The incident happened near East 9th Street and South 1st Avenue at around 11.40 am.

Pimentel was flown to University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Elmendorf Mayor Evelyn Lykins said in a news release that the person who was the subject of the arrest warrant that Pimentel was serving opened fire on the chief.



'He embraced the community of Elmendorf not only as its head of law enforcement officer but also as a resident. We will miss him,' the mayor said.



Elmendorf Police Chief Michael Pimentel - aged in his 60s - had served as chief for over a year Investigation: Officers inspect the scene where a police chief was gunned down in Elmendorf, Texas, on Saturday morning

Steve McCraw, head of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said Pimentel is the fifth law enforcement officer to die in Texas this year.



Three of the five were killed by gunfire.



Some 13 officers died in the line of duty last year.

