A Terrell police officer has died after being shot during a traffic stop Sunday.
Officials say Officer Jacob Candanoza, 28, pulled a vehicle over about 11 p.m. in the 1600 block of South State Highway 34. Candanoza called for more officers to assist. Moments later, multiple people called 911 reporting an officer had been shot. Police, firemen and CareFlite responded. Candanoza was taken to a hospital in Forney, where he died.
The Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office said Candanoza was in a struggle with a man driving in a gray Chevrolet Colorado pickup with Mississippi license plates. The suspect drove away and headed east. Texas Dept. of Public Safety officers and other law enforcement pursued the suspect into Van Zandt County, where the suspect crashed the truck and then fled on foot into a wooded area. The suspect was caught and taken into custody, police on the scene told news outlets. No information about the suspect has been released as of this report.
Candanoza had been an officer with the department since July. He leaves behind a wife and young child. The Officer Down Memorial Page says Candanoza was the first Terrell policeman to die in the line of duty since 1980.
