Suspected car thief killed, officer injured during exchange of gunfire near Maricopa
Jun 28, 2023, 1:15 PM
(Facebook Photo/City of Maricopa Police Department)
(Facebook Photo/City of Maricopa Police Department)
PHOENIX – A suspected car thief was killed and a police officer was injured in an exchange of gunfire Tuesday near Maricopa, south of metro Phoenix, authorities said.
A resident reported seeing three people breaking into cars around 1:30 p.m. in a residential area near Hartman and Honeycutt roads, the Maricopa Police Department said.
Officers responded to the neighborhood and saw three people breaking into a car. The suspects ran off when the officers approached them.
A teenage boy was quickly taken into custody, but the two other suspects climbed over a wall and ran into a field north of the neighborhood. Two officers followed them on foot.
How did the police shooting happen?
One of the suspects shot at the officers during the chase, hitting one of them. The second officer fired back, hitting one of the suspects.
The officer who was shot sustained injuries that aren’t considered life-threatening. He was hospitalized in stable condition.
The injured suspect died while being taken to a hospital.
The other suspect was taken into custody without further incident after the shooting.
Where is Maricopa, Arizona?
Maricopa is located in Pinal County, about 35 miles south of downtown Phoenix.
Tuesday’s incident started in Maricopa, but the shooting took place outside the city limits on Gila River Indian Reservation land. As a result, the investigation into the shooting will be conducted by the FBI.
