HOUSTON, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- An assistant district attorney was shot and killed on Thursday morning by two unknown suspects outside a courthouse building in the U.S. state of Texas, local media reported.
The shooting took place around 9 a.m. Thursday outside a building across from the main Kaufman County courthouse, about 50 kilometers southeast of the Texas city of Dallas, according to a report by The Houston Chronicle.
Officials did not immediately indicate any motive for the shooting and a search was underway for the two suspects, the newspaper said.
"This is the next level (of crime)," Kaufman County Sheriff David Byrnes was quoted as saying at a Thursday news conference.
Earlier reports only said that one county employee was injured in the incident.
Kaufman Police Chief Chris Aulbaugh said the shooting would have a major impact on the county. "Any loss of life, especially someone out there protecting the community, would have that effect, " said Aulbaugh.
The courthouse was initially locked down, but reopened later.
According to earlier media reports, the two suspects, dressed in black and one wearing a tactical vest, are believed to be driving a silver, older-model Ford Taurus.
The Texas Department of Public Safety has reportedly sent out an alert for police to be on lookout for the suspects' car.
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