Interstate 17 reopens in Phoenix after deadly gunfire exchange with police

PHOENIX — Lanes in both directions on Interstate 17 near downtown Phoenix reopened late Tuesday morning after a deadly officer-involved shooting the previous day.

North lanes at Interstate 10 and south lanes at Seventh Avenue had been shut down since Monday, when a suspect was fatally wounded in a shootout with police.

Mesa Police initially responded at around 4 p.m. Monday to a call about a fight on First Avenue near Main Street and Mesa Drive, where the suspect reportedly displayed a handgun, the Phoenix Police Department said.

When Mesa officers arrived, the suspect fled in a white Nissan pickup truck. They pursued him onto the freeway and into Phoenix along with Arizona Department of Public Safety assistance.

After a DPS trooper used his patrol vehicle to disable the truck, the suspect fired a rifle at officers.

Five Mesa Police officers and three DPS troopers returned fire and killed the driver, who was identified Tuesday as 27-year-old Arnaldo Caraveo.

Three troopers suffered injuries that were not life-threatening; two were taken to a nearby hospital and later released.

REMINDER: I-17 NB/SB closed in downtown Phoenix due to a law enforcement incident. I-17 NB closed at the I-10 Split. I-17 SB closed at 7th Avenue. There is no estimated time to reopen the freeway. #phxtraffic pic.twitter.com/DFvZa6GBIv

— Arizona DOT (@ArizonaDOT) October 30, 2018

This is Valley traffic right now. Much slowing on all highways stemming from the I-17 closure in Phoenix. #phxtraffic #aztraffic pic.twitter.com/ExvXbjdqsf

— Arizona DOT (@ArizonaDOT) October 30, 2018

(ADOT Webcam)

Traffic was allowed back onto the freeway around 11:15 a.m.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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