Kansas City Police Chief, Terry Zeigler, said a police officer was shot and later died Tuesday afternoon. The officer had been taken to hospital in critical condition.

It was a male officer. The trauma surgeon at Kansas University Medical Center said the police captain had died of his injuries, according to The Associated Press.

KCK police captain Dave Melton has been identified as the police officer killed. pic.twitter.com/PSVVJWmeMr — KCTV5 - Kansas City (@KCTV5) July 19, 2016

A spokesperson for the department earlier told WFSB the police officer’s condition was critical.

The incident happened in residential neighborhood, north west of Kansas City, Kansas.

The shooting of the police captain occurred when he was responding to a report of shots fired by several people in a car.

When the officers arrived on the scene, the three or four people who had been shooting from a car jumped out and ran away, the Kansas City police department said in statement.

Police said there were two suspects, one is in custody, another is still at large.

We have an officer shot at 22nd & Haskell. Start prayers, unknown condition. — Terry Zeigler (@KCKPDChief) July 19, 2016

BREAKING UPDATE: KCK officer in critical condition. He was shot near 22nd and Haskell. @JoshReporting just got on scene. — Julie Kellogg (@JulieKCTV5) July 19, 2016

The police officer was taken to the trauma unit at Kansas University Medical Center.

Police told WDAF-TV they were investigating a crime when the officer was shot.

Chief Terry Zeigler said the officer’s condition is unknown but encouraged people to “start prayers.” A tweet from Kansas City Police says, “Not again. Prayers started.”

Where armed disturbance call started at 2nd and Edgerton leading to KCK police officer shot. #BREAKING#fox4kcpic.twitter.com/C56gMzfIzO — Dave D'Marko (@DaveDMarko) July 19, 2016

The Kansas City Star reported that multiple suspects ran from the scene, according to police radio traffic.

"we believe we have the right people in custody."



original call was an armed disturbance. — Josh Marshall (@JoshReporting) July 19, 2016

Police have blocked off the streets while they search for suspects.

"Current events make this worse." pic.twitter.com/Il7VsqzxSm — Josh Marshall (@JoshReporting) July 19, 2016

Police swarmed the area with dozen of officers, some with rifles,hiding behind cars, according to the Kansas City Star. Several officers were kneeling with their guns drawn.

Kansas City, Kan., police captain shot and killed https://t.co/ZbZjIgmlbY — UN Lewis (@unlewis) July 19, 2016

A woman at a house in the area came out with her hands up.

Tuesday's shooting was the second of a Kansas City police officer since early May, when a police detective was shot and killed near Kansas Speedway.