HOUSTON (AP) — A Texas sheriff's deputy was fatally shot Wednesday while trying to serve an arrest warrant, setting off a wide search in Houston that ended hours later with officers shooting and killing the suspect, authorities said.

Helicopters and K-9 units helped in the search that began after the suspect opened fire on Jesus Vargas, a 17-year veteran of the Brazoria County sheriff's department, Brazoria County Sheriff Bo Stallman said.

Hours after the shooting, the Houston Police Department posted on social media that the suspect was "shot by law enforcement officers" near the location of the original shooting and that the person was dead.

Houston Mayor John Whitmire had earlier described the suspect as having a long criminal history, including aggravated assault, and that Vargas and his partner had been working with a U.S. Marshal's task force to find the suspect and serve the warrant.

Vargas was married and had three children, Stallman said.