PHOENIX – Two people lost their lives in a series of related shootings in the West Valley on Sunday morning, including one fatal encounter with Phoenix police.
The incident began around 8 a.m. when Phoenix police officers responded to reports of a shooting near 49th Avenue and Thunderbird Road. Upon arriving, officers were directed by a witness toward a man who quickly entered a gray Nissanand drove away, the Phoenix Police Department reported.
Officers attempted to stop the suspect, but he fled west on Thunderbird Road. The chase continued until the man parked in the drive-thru of a business at 99th Avenue and Thunderbird Road in Sun City and began walking away.
What Happened at the Second Shooting Scene?
Officers followed the man and issued commands for him to stop. However, according to Sgt. Mayra Reeson, the suspect then retrieved a firearm and pointed it at the officers. In response, one of the officers fired his duty weapon. Simultaneously, the man shot himself, authorities said. The suspect, described as a 28-year-old male, was transported to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. Phoenix police have yet to confirm whether the fatal wounds were from the officer’s firearm or were self-inflicted.
Back at the original scene near 49th Avenue and Thunderbird Road, police discovered a 45-year-old man with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene, with his death connected to the earlier reported shooting.
