Houston shooting: One police officer shot dead and another injured while serving warrant

Man wanted on drugs charges also shot dead during early morning incident

Police escort the body of an officer fatally shot in Houston, Texas

(Houston Police)

A police officer was fatally shot and another was wounded while executing a search warrant for narcotics in Houston, Texas, authorities have said.

At a press briefing, police said the shooting happened at an apartment complex near the Bush International Airport at 7.28am, in northeast Harris County, on Monday morning.

The two officers, who were executing a search warrant on drugs charges, were at first greeted by a woman after knocking on the door of an apartment, which according to ABC13 News, had several children in.

A suspect who the officers were attempting to arrest, aged 31, then fired at the officers – injuring one and fatally wounding the other.

The man, who has not been identified, was killed when officers returned fire.

Houston mayor Sylvester Turner said the injured officer, Sgt Charles vance, was in a stable condition and was taken to Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Centre following the incident. He joined the force in 1997, police said.

The officer who was fatally shot, William Jeffrey, was pronounced dead upon arrival at hospital. His body received a police escort as it was taken for forensic examination. Police said he joined the force in 1990.

According to The Houston Chronicle, the officers were a part a division dealing with dangerous criminals, including those accused of murderer.

Mr Turner told reporters that it had "been a tragic day”, and that the death of an officer was “another reminder that police work is inherently dangerous."

The incident remains under investigation.

Additional reporting by The Associated Press.