Harris County Sheriff Ron Hickman Slams #BlackLivesMatter's 'Dangerous Rhetoric' in Deputy's Execution-Style Murder

Here's video, "Sheriff Rails Against ‘Dangerous’ Rhetoric After Deputy Killed: ‘Cop Lives Matter Too’."

And at USA Today, "Sheriff links 'national rhetoric' to killing of deputy in Houston":

"This rhetoric is out of control. I know #BlackLivesMatter, so do our lives. Let's drop this and say '#AllLivesMatter'" @SheriffHickman

— HCSOTexas (@HCSOTexas) August 29, 2015

Sheriff blasts "dangerous national rhetoric" as out of control.

— John Donnelly FOX 26 (@JohnDonnFOX26) August 29, 2015

Harris County Sheriff Ron Hickman described the early morning killing of a deputy sheriff at a gas station   "cold-blooded assassination" and angrily condemned the "very dangerous national rhetoric" about police officers that he said was out of control.

Deputy Darren Goforth, 47, was fatally shot while filling his patrol car in northwest Harris County late Friday.

The suspect, whose image was caught on surveillance video, approached Goforth from behind and shot him several times in the back and continued to fire even after the officer had fallen to the ground.

The suspect is depicted in photos as a dark-skinned male wearing a white T-shirt and red shorst and apparently driving a red or maroon-colored Ford pickup.

Rickman said an intense manhunt was underway and that officers were speaking to several people in connecton with the shooting, but that no arrest had yet been made.

Hickman said the killing was unprovoked and that Goforth was apparently singled out only because he was wearing the uniform of a law enforcement officer.

The sheriff made it clear that he felt the shooting was tied to a national backlash over several recent killings of unarmed blacks by police officers.

"When rhetoric ramps up to the point where cold-blooded assassination has happened, this rhetoric has gotten out of control," he said. "We heard 'black lives matter.' All lives matter. Cops' lives matter too, so why don't we drop the qualifier and say all lives matter and take that to the bank."

"Black Lives Matter" is the phrase of a national activist group aimed at addressing shootings by police officers.

Sheriff's office spokesman Deputy Thomas Gilliland said earlier that officials were speaking with a person of interest in connection with the shooting and have obtained a search warrant for the home where the person lives. No arrests have been made, he said.

Sgt. William Kennard of the Texas Department of Public Safety, meanwhile,  tells CNN that the person in police custody is "believed to be the alleged gunman."

Keep reading.

And note that contrary to earlier reports, authorities do not have a suspect in custody. See KHOU News 11 Houston, "Manhunt underway for suspect who fatally shot deputy":

HARRIS COUNTY – Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy Darren Goforth was brutally gunned down while at a northwest Harris County gas station Friday evening, Sheriff Ron Hickman said.

Hickman said in a press conference Saturday that the investigation into the killing of Goforth is ongoing, and a suspect is not in custody. A man was brought in for questioning about the incident earlier Saturday morning, but he was not arrested or charged.

Hickman said there are multiple witnesses in the incident, and he is asking them -- as well as anyone else with information -- to come forward.

"We are reaching out to the community for assistance (in) capturing the violent individual for the senseless death of Deputy Goforth," Hickman said.

More.

PREVIOUSLY: "Race War! Black Male Suspect Arrested in Execution-Style Murder of Texas Sheriff's Deputy Darren Goforth (VIDEO)."