Prosecutors are on a massive manhunt for three suspects in association with shooting dead a police officer in Fox Lake, Illinois.

The slain officer was identified as 30-year-veteran Lt. Joseph Gliniewicz, a married father of four boys. Fox Lake Mayor Donny Schmit commented in a news conference yesterday afternoon, “Today, not only did Fox Lake lose a family member I lost a really dear friend.”

A statement from Lake County Sheriff Sgt. Christopher Covelli determined the shooting happened about 10 minutes before 8 a.m., after Lt. Joe Gliniewicz sent word over his radio that he was pursuing three suspects on foot.

According to an article published by CNN, “Radio communication dropped off and backup officers were sent. They found the officer with a gunshot wound.”

Sgt. Covelli mentioned to the press that the hunt for the suspects forced four schools into lockdown and left people barricaded in their homes. The suspects, as described by Covelli, are two white men and one black man.

This is one of a string of incidents involving the assault and murder of police officers across the United States recently. Last Saturday, a Texas sheriff’s deputy was murdered at a Houston gas station execution-style, arising a debate over what safety precautions should be taken to protect police officers from these hate crimes.

Fox Lake officials have yet to find the three suspects responsible for the murder of Gliniewicz. Reports suggest that the suspects have fled the state entirely, but no new information has been released about their whereabouts.