Man who shot at Phoenix Police officers, triggered massive manhunt in 2022 sentenced to 68 years

PHOENIX — A man who shot and critically wounded a Phoenix Police officer in 2022 was recently sentenced to 68 years in prison, authorities said.

A jury convicted 38-year-old Nicholas Cowan of multiple charges, including two counts of attempted first-degree murder on a law enforcement officer, according to a Friday news release from the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.

They also convicted him of two counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, drive-by shooting and aggravated assault, prosecutors said.

“Make no mistake, this defendant had every intention of killing these officers when he opened fire,” Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said in the Friday news release.

Details about case of man who wounded a Phoenix Police officer

The incident Cowan was sentenced for took place in April 2022 after two officers with the Phoenix Police Department responded to a domestic violence call at a gas station near Cave Creek and Beardsley roads.

The woman who made the call told officers she was Cowan’s girlfriend. She said he was suicidal, had assaulted her the day before at a separate location and threatened to shoot police if she called for help, according to prosecutors.

While the girlfriend was speaking with police, Cowan drove into the parking lot and fired 11 shots at the police officers through the passenger side window.

His bullets struck one of the officers in the stomach, sending her to the hospital, prosecutors said.

The other officer and the girlfriend weren’t injured in the shooting.

Man who wounded a Phoenix Police officer caused a manhunt

Cowan fled the scene of the crime, triggering an 80-hour manhunt. Police eventually tracked him down to a Scottsdale residence, which he refused to leave.

This led to a standoff that lasted for several hours before he was taken into custody. He was hospitalized due to several gunshot wounds he sustained after exchanging gunfire with police during the standoff.

“My office stands behind our members of law enforcement and will vigorously prosecute anyone who means to do them harm,” Mitchell said. “This incident could have ended in the death of an officer, and I’m thankful everyone survived.”

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