A Milwaukee police officer was killed Thursday and a fellow officer was injured when their squad car crashed while chasing another vehicle, authorities said.

The death of Officer Charles Irvine Jr., 23, was confirmed during an evening news conference by Milwaukee police Chief Alfonso Morales. 

“This is a very sad day for our community,” Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said at the news conference, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

“The Irvine family is suffering, the entire Milwaukee Police Department is suffering. This underscores how difficult the job of a Milwaukee police officer is. Officer Irvine gave his life for the people of this community. He served it because he wanted it to be a better community.”

Irvine was the city’s first police officer killed in the line of duty in 22 years, the newspaper reported.

The injured officer, age 36 with four years of service, was hospitalized in stable condition, Morales said, but the chief did not identify him.

The officers’ squad car was the only vehicle involved in the crash, authorities said. It rolled off the road and got wedged near an overpass, Milwaukee’s Fox 6 reported.

A suspect was arrested in connection with the crash, the Journal Sentinel reported, but no further information was immediately available.

Police tweeted earlier Thursday that they were “investigating a single vehicle accident involving a squad car at 76th and Silver Spring.”

Irvine joined the Milwaukee Police Department about four years ago and first served as a police aide before becoming an officer, according to the police department.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker tweeted about the death Thursday evening.

“Our prayers are with the members of the Milwaukee Police Department after the death of one of their officers and with his family,” Walker wrote.

Additional information and pictures of the officers will be released Friday, Morales said at a Thursday night news conference.