Police officers gather evidence today at the scene of a shooting in Urbandale, Iowa. Two Des Moines area police officers were shot to death in ambush-style attacks while they were sitting in their patrol cars.

DES MOINES, Iowa — Two Des Moines area police officers were shot to death early today in separate ambush-style attacks while they were sitting in their patrol cars, and police are searching for a suspect, authorities said.

Officers responded to a report of shots fired at 1:06 a.m. and found an Urbandale Police Department officer who had been shot. Authorities from several agencies saturated the area after that shooting, and about 20 minutes later discovered that a Des Moines officer had been shot in a patrol car at an intersection, Des Moines Sgt. Paul Parizek said.

The shootings happened less than 2 miles apart and both took place along main streets that cut through residential areas.

“There’s somebody out there shooting police officers. We hope to find him before somebody else gets hurt,” said Parizek, who stopped briefly during a news conference as he worked to control his emotions.

Des Moines and Urbandale Police later said in a statement that they have identified 46-year-old Scott Michael Greene as a suspect in the killings, describing him as armed and dangerous and urging members of the public to not approach him.

Police described Greene, of Urbandale, as 5 feet, 11 inches tall and 180 pounds with brown hair and green eyes, last known to be driving a blue 2011 Ford F-150 with Iowa license plate 780 YFR.

The shootings follow a spate of police killings, including ambushes of officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Five officers were killed in Dallas July 7 and three were killed later that month in Baton Rouge.

“There is a clear and present danger to police officers,” Parizek said. He said officers are now conducting patrols in pairs for protection.