A New York state trooper lost his life while responding to a call for a suicidal suspect who was barricaded in his home early Monday morning. The Trooper, 29-year-old Nicholas Clark, became an officer in 2015.

The suspected shooter also died at the scene. Law enforcement found the 43-year-old man deceased inside his home from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

12 News WBNG reported on the procession that followed as the officer’s body was transported to Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton.

It was a heartbreaking sight for drivers on New York Route 17 on Monday.

Dozens of New York State Police cars with flashing lights followed the coroner’s vehicle transporting a trooper killed in a Steuben County shooting.

The procession arrived at Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton around 12 p.m. Monday. That’s where the trooper’s autopsy will be performed, according to hospital officials.

Fox News reported that the trooper is the 46th officer to lose his life in the line of duty in 2018, adding that 28 of those officers lost their lives due to gunfire.

Compared to 2016 and 2017, the number of police officers killed in the line of duty is on pace to drop dramatically this year. However, the number of officers killed by gunfire is on track to surpass the number of officers killed in shootings last year. According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, in 2016, 143 officers lost their lives, with 66 shot and killed. In 2017, 128 officers lost their lives with 44 officers shot and killed. In the first half of 2018, on average, more than four officers have died each month due to gunfire.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo attended a press conference with the New York State Police this afternoon to address the shooting.

Governor Cuomo called the murder a “senseless act of violence,” and stated that Trooper Clark was a “stellar trooper with an extraordinary record.” Cuomo also added that “[Clark] wanted to do one thing, which is help people and be a part of public service.”

Toward the end of his remarks, the governor stated, “Everything police do nowadays is dangerous… These are frightening times. In many ways, we need our police officers and public protectors more than ever.”