Milstead: ‘Don’t see anything done incorrectly’ in DPS trooper shooting

PHOENIX — The head of the Arizona Department of Public Safety said there have not been any red flags raised involving how troopers handled a situation that led to a suspect allegedly shooting and killing a trooper this week.

“At this point, there is no reason to believe this was anything but part of a very violent situation that went on,” Col. Frank Milstead told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Bruce St. James and Pamela Hughes on Friday.

“We don’t see that anything was done incorrectly at this point.”

Trooper Tyler Edenhofer was shot to death late Wednesday after a suspect got hold of an officer’s gun during a struggle with the man, who’d been throwing things at cars on Interstate 10 in Avondale.

The suspect was later identified as 20-year-old Isaac King, who had a history of mental illness, authorities said. The Avondale resident was in custody.

Milstead said it was still not clear how King got hold of the gun, which belonged to fellow trooper Sean Rodecap.

Rodecap was riding along in plain clothes with Edenhofer as the 24-year-old was finishing his last week of traininwg. The gun was in a leather holster that was secured to Rodecap’s belt.

“I don’t know if [Rodecap] had drawn the weapon to give commands or if it came out during the struggle or if Mr. King was able to free it from the holster,” Milstead said.

Rodecap also suffered minor injuries in the fight. A third trooper, Dalin Dorris, was shot in the shoulder. Both were released from a Goodyear hospital hours after the shooting.

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