Photo: The Canadian Press

SWAT members prepare to search the neighborhood where a police officer was fatally shot Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, in New Kensington, Pa.

An intense search continued Saturday for a suspect in the fatal shooting of a rookie police officer.

The shooting happened shortly after 8 p.m. Friday in New Kensington, about 29 kilometres northeast of Pittsburgh. Officer Brian Shaw, 25, was shot after a traffic stop involving an SUV led to him chasing someone on foot, authorities said.

Police later recovered an older model of an unoccupied brown Jeep Grand Cherokee, wanted in connection with the shooting.

Shaw had served as a part-time officer in three other towns before joining the New Kensington police force full time in June. He was taken to a hospital after the shooting but was pronounced dead there a short time later, according to authorities.

Police officers from neighbouring towns continued to scour the area for the suspect early Saturday. SWAT teams and police dogs assisted.

A description of the suspect has not been released. Authorities planned to provide more details at a news conference Saturday.