The police chief in a small Texan town was fatally shot Saturday while trying to arrest someone during a traffic stop, according to authorities. In Elmendorf, Police Chief Michael Pimentel was shot twice, once in the shoulder and once in the stomach, Sgt. Jason Burchett said in the San Antonio Express-News.

Elmendorf is a town in Bexar County nearly 25 miles southeast of San Antonio with about 1,500 residents. Bexar County Sheriff Susan Pamerleau confirmed the news that Pimentel died. She told the Express-News that the man who shot Pimentel was identified as 24-year-old Joshua Manuel Lopez. Lopez was taken into custody on charges of capital murder of a police officer.

According to Pamerleau, the incident occurred from a routine traffic stop that quickly escalated to violence. A witness who only identified herself as Jennifer said she saw Pimentel and another man in an altercation before shots were fired. After being shot, Jennifer said she saw Pimentel fall in the middle of the street.

The police chief was transported by helicopter to the University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Elmendorf Mayor Evelyn Lykins released in a news statement that Lopez was the subject of an arrest warrant that Pimentel was serving.

"He embraced the community of Elmendorf not only as its head of law enforcement officer but also as a resident. We will miss him," Lykins said of Pimentel, who had been serving as police chief for over a year.

The head of the Texas Department of Public Safety, Steve McCraw, said Pimentel's death is the fifth of a law enforcement officer in Texas in 2014. Thirteen officers died in the line of duty last year.

"Every day police officers throughout the state risk their lives to protect their communities, and tragically sometimes they make the ultimate sacrifice," McCraw said.

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