Police release name of officer fatally shot at Texas Tech

By: CNN

Posted: Oct 10, 2017 6:02 PM EDT

By Ralph Ellis and Tony Marco, CNN

(CNN) -- A Texas Tech University student shot and killed a campus police officer Monday night, university officials said.

Hollis Daniels, a 19-year-old freshman from Seguin, Texas, fatally shot an officer in the head after his arrest on the Lubbock campus.

The officer was identified on Tuesday as Floyd East Jr., a married father of two daughters. He began working as a Texas Tech guard in the El Paso office in 2014 and started as an officer in Lubbock on May 1, Texas Tech Police Chief Kyle Bonath said Tuesday at a news conference.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with his family," Bonath said.

The incident began when campus police received information about a student acting erratically and who was reported to have a weapon, Bonath said.

Officers went to a dorm room for a welfare check and found drug paraphernalia, Bonath said. During the search, Daniels showed up to the room and was found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia, Bonath said.

Daniels was arrested and brought to the Texas Tech Police Department. "During this time, the student pulled a gun and fatally shot Officer East," Bonath said.

Daniels fled the scene and the campus was on lockdown until he was captured, Bonath said.

A vigil is scheduled on campus Tuesday night.

"Words can't express how saddened I am by the tragic loss of one of our Texas Tech University police officers tonight," Texas Tech University System Chancellor Robert Duncan said. "Our Texas Tech family is strong and will support each other as we grieve."