In the hours since his death, the community that loved and admired the 10-year-veteran of the sheriff's office has gathered in impromptu vigils and used social media to honor who Dhaliwal was.

He was loved by the Sikh community

"Sandeep has been everything we've asked of a public servant," then-sheriff Adrian Garcia had said. "He's been a servant leader and my commitment to the community was that we'd make sure that tokenism or window dressing wouldn't be how we count change, but rather that we'd make a meaningful difference."

In the hours since his death, the deputy was described as a trailblazer multiple times.

"The whole community is under the shock even now," said Harjit Singh Galhotra, a member of the Sikh National Center near Jersey Village where Dhaliwal worshiped.

Another member of the center told the affiliate Dhaliwal was an "essential element" of their community.

He dedicated his life to service

There are "simply no words to adequately express our heartbreak, our sadness at this time," sheriff Gonzalez said Friday.

The deputy had a "heart of gold," former sheriff and now Harris County police commissioner Garcia said. "He treated his brothers and sisters in law enforcement as if they were just brothers and sisters. He thought of them before he thought of himself."

"He thought of the broader community before he thought of himself."

When Dhaliwal wasn't serving with the force, he was always finding more ways to help his community.

He grieved a fellow officer just 4 years ago

Dhaliwal was the one consoling his community just a few years back, when a fellow officer, Deputy Darren Goforth, was killed in northwest Harris County.

"Just wear blue," the deputy had said. "Wear blue and be proud of that. And that shows support to law enforcement. Simple as that."

This time, the people who gathered at a community-led candlelight vigil Friday night were there to honor him.

Dhaliwal leaves behind his wife and three children.