A Texas sheriff's deputy was shot multiple times Wednesday while responding to a mental health call near Rockdale, Texas. The deputy returned fire and fatally shot the suspect, the Milam County Sheriff's Office said.

Milam County Sheriff Texas
Milam County Sheriff Patrol Unit Milam County Sheriff Department

Deputy Samuel Ferguson IV is a mental health deputy for the department about 40 miles west of College Station. The county's mobile crisis outreach team assisted Ferguson during the call but were unharmed.

The department said the man began exhibiting suicidal behavior and became "uncooperative" when Ferguson decided to detain him. That's when the suspect opened fire and the deputy was "hit multiple times and returned fire, striking the subject," according to the department.

Ferguson was flown to a nearby hospital and is in stable condition, according to Fox 7 Austin.

Sheriff Mike Clore told 25 News Central Texas that one of the first responders included Ferguson's son, who works for the Milam County Sheriff's Office.

Texas Rangers are investigating and have not publicly identified the suspect.