Phoenix Chief Williams says police wanted ‘justice’ not ‘revenge’ in capture of shooting suspect

PHOENIX – Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams on Monday praised the professionalism of the officers who brought shooting suspect Nicholas Cowan into custody, saying taking him alive was about justice.

Cowan, 35, accused of shooting a Phoenix Police Department officer last Thursday, was taken into custody in Scottsdale on Sunday after an 80-hour manhunt.

“We’re looking for justice … we’re not looking for revenge and that’s what we saw [yesterday],” Williams told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show.

“I’m baffled and amazed about just how focused they were and how professional they were.”

Cowan had holed up in a rental property near 66th Street and Osborn Road.

After receiving tips on his whereabouts, a SWAT team reached the home and began negotiations with him that lasted for several hours.

Cowan would not give up, police said.

“So if we think about this, he was telling our officers to shoot him, he wasn’t going to come out,” Williams said.

“Listening to those radio transmissions almost brought a tear to my eyes because I realized how tenacious and patient they were being in order to get him into custody.”

The unidentified wounded officer, a 24-year veteran of the force, learned of Cowan’s arrest in the hospital, where she is in intensive care.

Cowan was taken to hospital for treatment of gunshot wounds suffered before Sunday’s confrontation, police said.

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