14-year-old boy arrested for shooting at DPS trooper in Phoenix

PHOENIX — A 14-year-old boy was in custody after exchanging gunfire with an Arizona Department of Public Safety trooper in west Phoenix early Wednesday, authorities said.

Nobody was injured during the incident.

The suspect was booked into Maricopa County’s Durango Juvenile Detention Facility on charges of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault and misconduct with a weapon, DPS spokesman Bart Graves told KTAR News 92.3 FM.

Graves said the shooting occurred around 12:15 a.m. after troopers tried to pull over a car without headlights on near Bethany Home Road and 31st Avenue.

We can confirm there was a trooper involved shooting. No one was injured. We are working to provide more information later today. pic.twitter.com/RfAfnf51Kd

— Dept. Public Safety (@Arizona_DPS) April 3, 2019

The driver ignored sirens and police lights until reaching Maryland and 41st avenues.

“The suspect stopped his vehicle and immediately produced a handgun, firing at the troopers,” Graves said. “One of the troopers returned fire with a rifle.”

The suspect fled on foot but was tracked by a Phoenix Police helicopter to a nearby alley, where he was taken into custody.

News outlets posted video of a sedan parked on a residential street with a DPS SUV behind it.

The sedan appeared to have bullet holes in windows and elsewhere. Evidence markers were on the pavement next to and behind the car.

It was the second trooper-involved shooting and 15th officer-involved shooting in the Valley for 2019.

The first Department of Public Safety-involved shooting occurred March 10 on the Interstate 10 near Jackrabbit Trial.

The suspect was killed after allegedly firing at a trooper during an attempted traffic stop.

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Taylor Kinnerup and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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