The Dallas police chief said on Friday that a man intentionally set out to shoot police when he killed an officer sitting in his patrol car and wounded two others in a late-night ambush that set off a highway chase and ended with officers fatally shooting the attacker.

The shooting on Thursday night brought fresh anguish and anger in a city where a gunman’s ambush on police in 2016 killed five officers.

Chief Eddie Garcia said at a news conference that the suspect – 30-year-old Corey Cobb-Bey – approached officer Darron Burks while he was parked at a community center between calls, talking to him briefly and recording the encounter before pulling out a handgun and “executing” Burks.

“Our officers were targeted for nothing more than the uniform they wear and for the brave and honorable job that they do,” Garcia said.

Police said Cobb-Bey pulled into the parking lot at 10.02pm, about two minutes before Burks. After shooting Burks, Cobb-Bey retrieved a shotgun from his own vehicle and placed it on the roof of the squad car, police said.

When Burks’ colleague Jamie Farmer arrived at 10.11pm to check on Burks after a dispatcher noticed an unusual transmission from him, Cobb-Bey fired his handgun at Farmer, police said. Farmer returned fire and Cobb-Bey retrieved the shotgun. Farmer was hit once in the leg, police said.

When a third officer, Karissa David, arrived a minute later, Cobb-Bey shot at her multiple times, police said. Police said she returned fire and was shot in the face.

Farmer was released from the hospital on Friday while David remained hospitalized in critical but stable condition.

Cobb-Bey fled the scene and was pursued by other officers to Lewisville, Texas, about 25 miles (40km) north-west of Dallas, police said. Police said that when Cobb-Bey’s vehicle came to a stop on Interstate 35, he exited with a shotgun in his hand that he pointed at officers.

Six officers fired at Cobb-Bey, who died at the scene after being hit multiple times, police said.

No officers were injured in that exchange of gunfire.

Garcia said the investigation has determined that the shootings were premeditated. He said they learned from social media that three days ago, Cobb-Bey approached an unmarked squad car from an unknown law enforcement agency and was recording as he asked officers why they were parked there.

Cobb-Bey had expressed online that he had problems in both his professional and personal life – and indicated that “an event” would be happening, Garcia said.

Police said two shotguns were recovered from the scene in Lewisville while a .22 handgun and the 9mm handgun used by Cobb-Bey were recovered from the initial scene.

Burks joined the force recently after teaching math at a high school for about 17 years.

He taught at Texans Can Academy, a charter high school, in the Pleasant Grove community in Dallas from June 2006 to February 2023, where he was “not only an excellent educator but also a mentor to countless students”, the school’s principal, Tina Shaw, said in a statement.

“His commitment to serving others, both as a teacher and as a police officer, exemplified his dedication to making a positive impact on the lives of those around him,” Shaw said.