Peoria police shoot suspect during armed robbery response

PHOENIX — Police in Peoria responding to an armed robbery call shot a suspect Monday night at a shopping center.

In a press release issued Tuesday, Peoria Police said they responded at around 9 p.m. Monday to a call about a male with a bandanna over his face holding two employees at gunpoint at the AutoZone on 91st Avenue near Northern Avenue.

An officer who was nearby arrived on the scene two minutes after the call came in, the release said.

When he entered the store, he found the suspect physically struggling with an employee down an aisle behind the counter.

The officer gave a command and fired his gun once, striking the suspect in the shoulder area, the release said.

The suspect was compliant after being shot and remained hospitalized Tuesday with injuries that aren’t life-threatening.

Police said the suspect is a 17-year-old Peoria resident and would be booked into jail after he is released from the hospital.

No officers were hurt, and one employee suffered minor injuries.

Investigators found the suspect’s handgun at the scene.

Coming off a record year for officer-involved shootings in metro Phoenix, it was the third shooting involving Valley law enforcement in January.

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