PHOENIX — A Phoenix police officer is in critical condition and another is stable following a shooting that occurred Tuesday evening. The incident unfolded around 6:25 p.m. when officers were dispatched to a report of a vehicle break-in near 16th Street and McDowell Road. Upon arriving at the scene, the suspect fled and jumped over a wall, prompting a foot chase during which the officers were met with gunfire.
Phoenix Police Chief Michael Sullivan reported that one officer’s ballistic vest prevented severe injury, but the second officer remains in critical condition. “One officer was saved by his ballistic vest, while the other is fighting for his life,” Chief Sullivan said at a press conference.
By 9 p.m., authorities confirmed the detention of a suspect linked to the shooting. Chief Sullivan also highlighted that this incident marks the 11th time this year that officers have been confronted with gunfire.
There is currently no immediate threat to the public, police officials stated. Aerial footage from the scene showed multiple streets closed off as officers conducted a search for the suspect. The identities of the suspect and the officers involved have not been disclosed. The investigation into the shooting is ongoing.