Cincinnati, OH – Cincinnati Police Department Sergeant Arthur Schultz was found dead inside his vehicle near Eden Park early Thursday afternoon.

“It is with an extremely heavy heart that I announce here today that we are investigating the death of one of our own,” Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot Isaac told reporters during a press conference.

The 28-year veteran of the force was found by his colleagues inside a vehicle parked on Lakes Drive at approximately 12:30 p.m.

Chief Eliot said Sgt. Schultz was a “highly respected” member of the department, and that he was working in a “plainclothes assignment” in the vice unit at the time of his death, The Cincinnati Enquirer reported.

Investigators are not actively looking for anyone involved in incident, but are treating the situation as a possible homicide until proven otherwise, Hamilton County Coroner Dr. Lakshmi Sammarco explained during the press conference.

“I can tell you it wasn’t natural, but that’s all I can say at this point,” Sammarco added.

Chief Eliot and Sammarco agreed that investigating the loss of a fellow officer is a difficult but necessary task for the department to undertake.

“It was a very emotional scene, but you’re talking about professionals,” Chief Eliot said of his troops. “Once the officers composed themselves, they go to work.”

“This is a very difficult time for the department. Our heart goes out to the family and the coworkers of our brother officer,” the chief said.

Sammarco said she may be able to release more information about the circumstances of Sgt. Schultz’s death by Friday morning.

Sgt. Schultz joined the department in 1990, and was initially assigned to District 4, Chief Eliot told The Cincinnati Enquirer.

In 1995, he was promoted to the rank of police specialist, and was later assigned to District 1 as a sergeant in 1997.

Sgt. Schultz had been with the vice unit since December of 2000.

“CPD shares in the pain and tremendous loss of Sergeant Schultz as he will be tremendously missed,” Chief Eliot said.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family Sergeant Schultz and the Cincinnati Police Department.