A Fort Worth Police officer died following a gunfight with armed robbers during a surveillance operation on Thursday night.

Fox News reports that Officer Garrett Hull died within a day of being shot at Los Vaqueros Bar in Forth Worth. Hull and a group of 10 officers had been at the bar conducting surveillance as part of an investigation into 15 robberies in the Fort Worth area.

While the officers were keeping surveillance on three suspects believed to be connected to the robberies, the three men robbed Los Vaqueros Bar. At least two of them were reportedly wearing masks. As the suspects were trying to flee, the officers confronted them, and one suspect, Dacion Steptoe, opened fire, hitting Officer Hull in the head.

Fort Worth Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald announced Hull’s tragic death at a news conference on Friday.

“We’ve lost a true hero,” he Chief Fitzgerald said, according to Fox News.

“Someone who has dedicated more than one tour of service to this great city and was senselessly killed by three known criminals — two of which are in custody now.”

The suspect who shot Officer Hull was shot and killed by police gunfire, and the other two suspects were arrested after attempting to flee.

Officer Hull was a 17-year veteran of the police force.