MISSSION, Texas (KVEO) — The Mission Police Department held a press conference to address the shooting that left one dead and two in the hospital Thursday night.

Mission police Chief Robert Dominguez said the domestic disturbance began Thursday evening and involved 39-year-old Gabriel Salinas.

The incident also involved Salina’s girlfriend, who along with a child was hospitalized with several injuries chief Dominguez described as “knife slashes.”

Police responded to 1409 Viejo Lane in reference to a domestic violence dispute.

As soon as the police officers came into the house through the garage door, the four-year-old came running towards the officers bleeding. The officers then took him and Salina’s girlfriend out of the scene, according to Dominguez.

Salinas then started shooting at the officers, one of the officers discharged his weapon towards Salinas.

Salinas went inside the home and secured it. The 4-year-old boy was sent to the hospital with what Dominguez said was a bullet graze.

The child and Salina’s girlfriend were hospitalized at McAllen Medical Center, where the child was released and the 39-year-old woman remains in critical condition after undergoing surgery.

Chief Dominguez said police negotiators had attempted to speak with Salinas and encourage him out of the home, but to no avail. Family and friends were also at the scene trying to get Salinas to get out of the residence.

Salinas barricaded himself inside the home for a total of 3 hours.

After Salinas was not responding, Mission police and the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) special response team were able to use a mechanical device, police refer to as a robot, into the home.

Officers sometime between 2 and 3 a.m. were able to open a door inside the residence using the robot and saw Salinas’ body with blood on the floor.

“As far as I know right now, it was not a self inflicted gun shot wound… I think he died as a result of being hit in the transfer of fire between our officers and the sheriff deputies” said Dominguez.

Dominguez said several law enforcement agencies assisted Mission police in the incident, including DPS, the U.S. Border Patrol, the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office and others.

Salinas formerly served as a commissioner in Sullivan City. He was arrested in 2019 for assault that is believed to be stemmed from a domestic dispute.

Local authorities are now handing off the investigation to the Texas Rangers.