Ohio cop, 24, is killed after two-hour standoff when suspect emerges from property and sprays bullets 'in all directions' - before being shot dead in return fire

An Ohio police officer was shot dead on Monday after a two-hour armed standoff ended in gunfire and also claimed the life of a suspect who was wanted for vandalizing a Toledo cathedral by spray-painting 'Jesus is black' on its walls.

Toledo Police Officer Brandon Stalker, 24, was killed at around 6.22pm when Christopher Harris, 27, emerged from a home with 'a firearm in both hands and fired shots in multiple directions,' police said. One of the shots hit and killed Stalker.

According to police, multiple officers then returned fire and shot Harris. Both men were pronounced dead at a hospital.

Toledo police officer Brandon Stalker, 24 , a father of two, was fatally shot in the head during an armed standoff by vandalism suspect Christopher Harris, 27

Harris was wanted for defacing Toledo's Rosary Cathedral with 'Jesus is black' graffiti and setting fire to its doors on Monday morning 

Harris allegedly doused the doors of the cathedral with a flammable liquid and set them alight

Firefighters are seen working at the scene of the vandalism and fire at the cathedral, the interior of which was not damaged 

'The entire Toledo Police family is in shock. Another hero has paid the ultimate sacrifice protecting the residents of Toledo,' said Police Chief George Kral.

Stalker, whom Kral described as 'an amazing police officer,' leaves behind a fiancee, a seven-year-old daughter and a three-month-old son. He had joined the police department in July 2018.

Kral said the standoff started about 4pm, when officers noticed a man with warrants out for his arrest for defacing Rosary Cathedral with graffiti and setting its doors on fire earlier that day smoking outside a home in a residential neighborhood.

Officers approached the man, later identified as Harris, who fled, brandishing a firearm and entered a nearby home in the 2200 block of Fulton Street. Police set up a barrier and a SWAT team was called in.

Negotiators had tried for hours to get Harris to surrender peacefully.

Harris, posting under the user name 'Danny Love' on Facebook, wrote in a status update at the time: 'Stand off. wit the police.' 

Harris faced charges of ethnic intimidation, vandalism and aggravated arson. He opened fire on police following a two-hour standoff 

The shooting took part in the 2200 block of Fulton Street in Toledo at 6.22pm

During his confrontation with the cops, Harris, posting under the moniker 'Danny Love,' wrote this status update 

SWAT team officers eventually deployed tear gas to force him out. Harris exited holding two guns and opened fire in multiple directions. One of the suspect's rounds hit Stalker in the head, Toledo Chief Kral said.

Police shot back, striking Harris. Stalker was placed into a police vehicle and rushed to Mercy St. Vincent’s Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. 

The suspect also was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. 

Court records cited by 11Alive indicate that Harris had a warrant out for his arrest, accusing him of repeatedly tagging Rosary Cathedral on Collingwood Boulevard with the words 'Jesus is black' and 'black.'  

He was also accused of dousing the doors of the cathedral with a flammable liquid and setting them alight, which caused exterior damage. 

On the morning of the church vandalism and shooting, Harris wrote on his Facebook page under the name 'Danny Love': 'Jesus is Black though.'  

In a separate incident, Harris was suspected of vandalizing an apartment in Toledo where he previously lived on January 8. 

Stalker joined the Toledo police in 2018. He leaves behind his fiancee and two children 

Harris faced charges of ethnic intimidation, vandalism and aggravated arson.

Friends and family have been writing messages of love and support on Harris' Facebook page. Some claimed that the 27-year-old was struggling with mental health issues. 

'Mental illness is real and it’s not a joke cuz was showing all the signs basically crying out for help but no one payed him no attention or helped him get the proper help he needed,' one commenter wrote.  

Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said his city's department 'has had to endure too many dark and terrible days in the last six months,' with the July on-duty killing of 26-year-old Officer Anthony Dia, who was Stalker's classmate, and the unexpected death of an officer just a few weeks ago.

Stalker is the 32nd Toledo police officer to be killed in the line of duty. 

'This has been a very difficult time,' Kapszukiewicz said. 'It is a very difficult day for the city.'

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of the fallen officer.

A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help Stalker's family with his funeral expenses.