Officials: Texas Tech Police Officer Shot Dead By Student

LUBBOCK, Texas (CBSNewYork/CBSDFW.com) -- A Texas Tech police officer was shot in the head and killed by a student Monday night, officials said.

CBS Dallas-Fort Worth reported it happened when campus police were making a student welfare check. Upon entering a student's room, officers found drug paraphernalia, according to a statement from the university.

Officers brought the suspect to the police station for questioning. But he pulled out a gun and fatally shot an officer in the head, officials said.

One student, Lainey La Rue Garner from Mansfield was inside her dorm room and watched SWAT officers (with weapons drawn) from her window.

"I locked my doors, locked my door, I even put a couch in front of my door just in case, because, all of these cops are outside of my dorm specifically, so that was kind of freaky," she described.

The suspect fled on foot and remained at large late Monday, oficials said. As a result, the campus was placed on lockdown for over an hour afterward.

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The suspect was later apprehended and the lockdown was lifted, Texas tech said via Twitter.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott also tweeted about the shooting Monday night:

Abbott followed his tweet with this statement:

"First and foremost, our hearts go out to the family of the police officer killed at Texas Tech University. I have spoken to Chancellor Robert Duncan to offer my condolences, and I have mobilized the Texas Department of Public Safety to offer any assistance to the Lubbock Police Department. As the Texas Tech campus deals with this heartbreaking tragedy, Cecilia and I pray for the continued safety of the students and the entire community."

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) tweeted his thoughts and prayers for university students.