Man dead following shooting involving DPS trooper on Loop 101 in Tempe

PHOENIX — A man was fatally shot by an Arizona Department of Public Safety trooper near State Route 101 in Tempe on Sunday morning after the man pulled a gun during a traffic stop, authorities said.

Just before 2 a.m., a trooper approached a vehicle that was parked on the left shoulder of Loop 101 just south of University Drive.

The vehicle matched the description of a vehicle that was recently reported for erratic driving behavior, according to authorities.

The trooper attempted to communicate with the driver, 44-year-old Lemonte Anthony Knobelock of Mesa, but the man refused to follow commands and barricaded himself in the car, according to DPS.

Then at just before 2:30 a.m., Knobelock pulled out a handgun, which resulted in the shooting.

No officers were injured, authorities said.

The investigation remains active and no other details were available.

As a result of the shooting, the southbound lanes of the Loop 101 Price Freeway were closed for more than six hours on Sunday at Rio Salado Parkway.

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