Suspect killed, police officer hurt in fight in Phoenix

PHOENIX — A suspect was killed and a Phoenix police officer was injured Friday morning after the pair were engaged in a fight.

Phoenix Police Sgt. Vince Lewis said the officer was checking out a suspicious car near State Route 51 and Thomas Road when the suspect came out of the bushes and attacked the officer. The suspect has been identified as 22-year-old Jorge Ceniceros.

The pair battled until a detective responded to the officer’s call for help. When Ceniceros made a move for the officer’s gun, both the officer and detective opened fire.

The suspect ran north on 20th Street for a short distance until he collapsed. He died on the scene.

Lewis said the officer sustained a broken nose in the fight.

It is unknown what started the fight or what caused the detective to open fire.

“We’re going to take a look at what the threats were that were perceived and talk with the officers and collect the physical evidence to figure out what took place,” Lewis said. “It’s still very early in this investigation.

It is unknown if the suspect was armed.

Related

Ethics panel recommends House censure Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards for conduct with two aidesTaiwan to open Phoenix cultural office amid TSMC growthNew York man sentenced for identity theft ring with Arizona, Colorado and California victimsDivorce argument ends in apparent murder-suicide in Lake Havasu City, police sayIn Texas, a political group bets $6 million on Latino voters coming back to DemocratsBeloved author Benjamin Alire Sáenz, first Latino PEN/Faulkner winner, dies at 71