A Phoenix police officer was hospitalized after a violent confrontation with a robbery suspect that led to the officer being bitten. The incident sparked a quick pursuit and a struggle that saw the suspect trying to disarm the officer.
It all unfolded just after 7:30 p.m. Wednesday near the intersection of Second Avenue and Dunlap Avenue. Upon their arrival at the scene, the police were meant to quickly locate a person who had been robbed by an armed suspect, according to FOX 10 Phoenix. Instead, they spotted 41-year-old Christopher Leos, who matched the suspect's description. When police attempted to make contact, Leos fled on foot leading officers to give chase.
During the apprehension, "Leos resisted arrest when the officer attempted to detain him. During this struggle, Leos bit the officer’s arm, breaking the skin, and attempted to gain control of the officer’s duty weapon," Sgt. Robert Scherer said in a statement. The injured officer's wounds were severe enough to warrant hospital treatment but were considered non-life-threatening. He is currently recovering at home.
Following the altercation, Leos was also taken to the hospital with minor injuries before being booked into jail. He's facing multiple counts of aggravated assault on a police officer. A second suspect, a woman involved in the initial robbery, was also arrested, though her identity has not been disclosed. azfamily.com reports that an investigation into the incident is currently underway.
Notably, the victim of the robbery that triggered the police response didn't remain at the scene and police were not able to contact them. This rogue factor in the chaos of the chase illustrates the unpredictable nature of police work in the face of crime's many variables.
