PHOENIX – Authorities said Tuesday that a suspected car thief was killed and a police officer injured in a shootout near Maricopa, south of the Phoenix metro station.
Residents reported seeing three people break into a car around 1:30 p.m. in a residential area near Hartman Road and Honeycutt Road, according to the Maricopa Police Department.
When police rushed to the neighborhood, they saw three people breaking into a car. The suspects fled when officers approached.
The teenage boy was quickly taken into custody, while two other suspects climbed over a wall and escaped into a field on the north side of the neighborhood. Two police officers pursued him on foot.
How did the police shooting happen?
One of the suspects fired at police officers during the chase, hitting one of them. A second police officer counterattacked and hit one of the suspects.
The police officer who was shot was injured, but his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. He was hospitalized in a stable condition.
The injured suspect died while being transported to the hospital.
Another suspect was taken into custody without incident after the shooting.
Where is Maricopa, Arizona?
Maricopa is It is located in Pinal County, about 55 miles south of downtown Phoenix.
Tuesday’s incident began in Maricopa, but the shooting took place on the Gila River Indian Reservation outside the city limits. As a result, the shooting will be investigated by the FBI.
