Taylor Police Officer Matthew Edwards Fatally Shot

TAYLOR, Mich. - A local city is mourning the death of a police corporal shot and killed on the job in Taylor. Police say Corporal Matthew Edwards was only 31. He leaves behind a wife and two young children. He was recently honored as "Officer of the Year".

Police say Edwards died while responding to a domestic dispute.

"We all expect to go home at night to our families... Please pray for Officer Edwards' family... Please pray for the Taylor Police Department and the many officers (that) put their own lives before others," said Taylor Police Cmdr. Dan Crowell.

Edwards' partner shot the suspect, who was taken to the hospital and had surgery. We're now learning more about that 36-year-old Westland man suspected of killing Edwards.

"I asked him if he was having a great birthday and he told me he was going to call me right back, and I didn't hear back from him," said Kameka Jackson, the suspect's girlfriend.

That was Thursday night, the last time Jackson heard from her boyfriend, Tyress Matthews, the man who police say pulled the trigger and killed Edwards.

"It's like wow. I just know that I got treated perfectly fine," Jackson said. "I don't understand how it got to this. I really don't."

While Jackson thought her boyfriend was celebrating his birthday, police say he was involved in a gun battle that took the life of Edwards. It started around 6:00 a.m. Friday when two Taylor Police officers responded to a 911 call that someone was breaking into the Coppertree Apartments. When they arrived, the officers confronted the suspect they caught going through a window. Turns out it was actually a domestic situation.

Witnesses say Edwards was talking to Matthews when Matthews all of a sudden pulled out a gun and started firing at Edwards. Edwards' partner quickly returned fire, shooting Matthews several times. The suspect and police traded more than a dozen gunshots. Matthews survived. Edward did not.

The 31-year-old leaves behind a wife and two young children.

"It's nothing I can say. I just feel sorry for the family," said Jackson. "I can't glorify anything. I can't justify anything. I can't do that. It wouldn't be in my best interest to do that."

Jackson said she had no idea her boyfriend of nearly a year was a career criminal serving 16 of the last 20 years in prison for crimes ranging from fleeing and eluding police to armed robbery and three counts of assault with intent to commit murder.

We're told Matthews underwent surgery at Oakwood Hospital and is in stable condition and is expected to survive. He could be arraigned as early as Saturday.

Meantime, we're told two memorial funds have been setup for the family of Officer Edwards.  Donations can be made to the Cpl. Matthew Edwards Memorial Fund at any PNC Bank branch.  A second fund has also been establised at PNC Bank by the Thin Blue Line of Michigan.  Donations can also be mailed to Thin Blue Line of Michigan, P.O. Box 415, Howell, Mi 48844.