Denton officer shot, hospitalized after traffic stop

A Denton police officer was hospitalized early Tuesday morning after a routine traffic stop erupted in gunfire.

Just after midnight, the officer conducted a traffic stop in the 1800 block of West University Drive for a vehicle equipment violation. The officer was shot, and the backup officer returned fire on the suspect vehicle, according to the Denton Police Department.

The suspects fled the scene and the officer was taken to the hospital in critical but stable condition.

The suspect vehicle was later located by police in Carrollton and Farmers Branch, and after a pursuit, the two suspects were apprehended and taken to a nearby hospital with gunshot wounds, according to Denton police.

Police have identified the officer who was shot as Urbano Rodriguez Jr., a five-year veteran of the DPD. He has one gunshot wound to the head and one to the femur, according to a police news release. The backup officer who shot both suspects is identified as Randy Cole, who has been a Denton police officer for less than a year.

The 100 Club of Denton is coordinating all donations for Officer Rodriguez and his family. Click here to donate.

The suspects have been identified as 33-year-old Antwon Pinkston of Fort Worth and 44-year-old Michele Stacey of Denton. They were medically cleared and taken to Denton County Jail, where Pinkston was charged with attempted capital murder of a peace officer and his bail set at $5 million. Stacey was held on a parole violation.

The Texas Rangers are leading the investigation, with the assistance of the Denton police Major Crimes Unit.