Police identify Texas officer fatally shot outside store

1 of 9 |

This family photo provided by the Mesquite Police Department, in Mesquite, Texas, shows Officer Richard Houston. Houston was killed Friday, Dec. 3, 2021, while responding to a disturbance call outside a suburban Dallas supermarket. (Family Photo/Courtesy of Mesquite Police Department via AP)

2 of 9 |

Balloons and flowers cover a patrol car at a memorial for a slain police officer at the Mesquite Police Department on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021, in Mesquite, Texas. Police have released the name of the officer who was fatally shot while responding to a disturbance call outside a suburban Dallas supermarket. Mesquite police said Saturday that Officer Richard Houston was killed Friday. Police said a prayer vigil will be held for him Sunday, Dec. 5, 2021 in front of the police department. (Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News via AP)

3 of 9 |

Mona Howard and granddaughter Mallorie Iwu, right, place flowers at the memorial for Mesquite police Officer Richard Houston at the Mesquite Police Department on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021, in Mesquite, Texas. Houston, a 21-year-veteran of the department, was shot and killed outside a grocery store a day earlier after responding to a disturbance call. (Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News via AP)

4 of 9 |

Flowers and a note are left at the memorial for a slain police officer at the Mesquite Police Department on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021, in Mesquite, Texas. Police have released the name of the officer who was fatally shot while responding to a disturbance call outside a suburban Dallas supermarket. Mesquite police said Saturday that Officer Richard Houston was killed Friday. Police said a prayer vigil will be held for him Sunday, Dec. 5, 2021 in front of the police department. (Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News via AP)

5 of 9 |

Dennis Nichols, from left, and Melissa Crosby, former elementary school classmates of the slain Mesquite Officer stand embracing with their third-grade teacher, Arlene Myers, in front of a memorial at the Mesquite Police Department on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021, in Mesquite, Texas. Police have released the name of the officer who was fatally shot while responding to a disturbance call outside a suburban Dallas supermarket. Mesquite police said Saturday that Officer Richard Houston was killed Friday. Police said a prayer vigil will be held for him Sunday, Dec. 5, 2021 in front of the police department. (Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News via AP)

6 of 9 |

Mesquite police officers investigate the site of an officer involved shooting on Friday, Dec. 3, 2021, in Mesquite, Texas. Police have released the name of the officer who was fatally shot while responding to a disturbance call outside a suburban Dallas supermarket. Mesquite police said Saturday that Officer Richard Houston was killed Friday. Police said a prayer vigil will be held for him Sunday, Dec. 5, 2021 in front of the police department. (Elias Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News via AP)

7 of 9 |

Mesquite police officers investigate the site of an officer involved shooting, Dec. 3, 2021, in Mesquite, Texas. Police have released the name of the officer who was fatally shot while responding to a disturbance call outside a suburban Dallas supermarket. Mesquite police said Saturday that Officer Richard Houston was killed Friday. Police said a prayer vigil will be held for him Sunday, Dec. 5, 2021 in front of the police department. (Elias Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News via AP)

8 of 9 |

Officers salute as Mesquite police Officer Richard Houston’s body is loaded into a van outside of Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas on Friday, Dec. 3, 2021. Houston, a 21-year-veteran of the department, was shot and killed outside a grocery store after responding to a disturbance call. (Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News via AP)

9 of 9 |

Officers salute as a Mesquite police officer’s body is loaded into a van outside of Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas on Friday, Dec. 3, 2021. Police have released the name of the officer who was fatally shot while responding to a disturbance call outside a suburban Dallas supermarket. Mesquite police said Saturday that Officer Richard Houston was killed Friday. Police said a prayer vigil will be held for him Sunday, Dec. 5, 2021 in front of the police department. (Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News via AP)

MESQUITE, Texas (AP) — Police have released the name of the officer who was fatally shot while responding to a disturbance call outside a suburban Dallas supermarket.

Mesquite police said Saturday that Officer Richard Houston was killed Friday. Police said a prayer vigil will be held for him Sunday evening in front of the police department.

Police said Houston, who was married and had three children, was hired as a police officer in Mesquite in January 2001.

“This was a senseless act of violence,” Mesquite Police Chief David Gill said. “Richard was a great officer, friend, father, and husband. Please keep his family and our family in your prayers.”

Police have said Houston was responding to a report of a disturbance in the supermarket parking lot when the suspect pulled a gun and opened fire. The officer returned fire, wounding the suspect.

Police have said the suspect was taken to a hospital. Police have not released the suspect’s name or current condition.