BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- The Birmingham Police Department is today mourning the loss of one of its own.

Keary Hollis, the West Precinct Officer who was shot to death outside of an Ensley convenience store Saturday night, had many things to celebrate, said his fellow officers.

Hollis, a five-and-a-half year veteran of the force, had a newborn son born just two weeks ago.

He was also looking forward to celebrating his own birthday, they said, and had planned to invite co-workers and friends to a birthday party later this month.

Birmingham police Chief A.C. Roper said Hollis was well-loved and respected.

"It's really tough," the chief said.

Hollis, who was single, according to Public Information Officer Sean Edwards, also enjoyed playing pool.

Recent posts on his Facebook page show that Hollis often prayed for safety and was fearful of what he had been seeing while on duty. Just last week, Hollis said he'd need two vests to patrol Birmingham's streets over the summer.

Just three days after that post, Hollis was gunned down while off duty at the Bush Quick Mart, also known as Triple T's.

A 41-year-old suspect is being held in the city jail pending formal charges. Birmingham police and U.S. Marshals arrested him about 2 a.m. at a home on 43rd Street in Ensley but had not released his identity as of this afternoon.

Saturday night's ordeal unfolded just after 10 p.m. when the suspect, a store worker told AL.com, had come in to buy something. The suspect was sitting outside on a plastic crate when Hollis accidentally backed into the suspect's motorcycle and knocked it over.

The store worker said both the suspect and Hollis were frequent customers of the store, but there isn't any indication they knew each other. The employee said Hollis had been in the store earlier in the day and said he would be back later to buy a cap.

A woman who was just pulling into the convenience store said the suspect got angry with the officer, who wasn't in uniform, about hitting his motorcycle with his car. The two exchanged words, and the officer began to drive off. The suspect followed him on foot to the end of the parking lot and fired four shots, according to the witness.

"He dumped four shots on him," the woman said. Then Hollis' car spun off into a vacant garage on the corner of Avenue Y and Bush Boulevard.

"We did everything we could to save him, but unfortunately he lost his life," Chief Roper said. "We just ask for thoughts and prayers for the officer's family."

For more on this developing story, click here.

AL.com reporter Carol Robinson contributed to this report.