Chandler police: 1 suspect dead, officer hurt in shooting
Jan 27, 2020, 7:44 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2020, 3:17 pm
PHOENIX — Chandler police said one person died and an officer was injured in a shooting Monday morning.
Police said an officer conducted a traffic stop near Chandler Boulevard and Interstate 10 shortly after 7 a.m. and then radioed in a distress call.
When officers arrived, police said they found the officer dazed in a stolen white Prius with 32-year-old Kevin Alan Smallman and his girlfriend, 27-year-old Krystal Ehrlich, on top of him.
The vehicle crashed after Ehrlich allegedly fled on foot from the officer before both suspects attempted to flee in the vehicle, according to court documents.
Police said Smallman had at least one gunshot wound and was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
@ChandlerPolice are investigating an officer involved shooting near 54th St and Chandler Blvd. Investigation ongoing. 1 officer being treated for non life threatening injuries. Scene is secure and no danger to public at this time. pic.twitter.com/P3TX3fRlW6
— Chandler Police (@ChandlerPolice) January 27, 2020
#Breaking HUGE police presence on Chandler Blvd near I-10. More than a doezen patrol cars blocking Denny’s & Rudy’s. Waiting for info #abc15 pic.twitter.com/Z3bxZQC9zl
— Nohelani Graf (@NoheG) January 27, 2020
The officer suffered unspecified injuries that were not life-threatening, a department spokesman said. He was released from the hospital on Monday evening.
Ehrlich was also hospitalized with unspecified injuries that were not life-threatening. She was arrested Tuesday evening on two felony drug charges.
Smallman and Ehrlich were staying at a nearby Hampton Inn prior to the incident, according to police.
The incident was the fifth officer-involved shooting in the Valley so far this year and first in Chandler, according to statistics compiled by KTAR News 92.3 FM.
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Ali Vetnar contributed to this report.
