A man and two teenagers have been apprehended following the shooting of an off-duty Phoenix police officer who was reportedly ambushed last week. Officer Harold Boswell, who was working off-duty in uniform, was responding to an attempted carjacking when he was fired upon and hit multiple times.
As per a statement obtained by FOX 10 Phoenix, the incident took place near 35th and Southern Avenues in Laveen, just before 11:30 p.m. on March 29th. The officer was reportedly moving toward the group trying to rob a parked car, when he was met with a hail of bullets. Despite the attack, Boswell never discharged his weapon and is now recovering at home.
The first suspect, a 17-year-old, was booked into a juvenile court center on March 30th on attempted murder and armed robbery charges. In a subsequent arrest, 19-year-old Jamiah Thomas Mower was detained in Las Vegas and is awaiting extradition to Maricopa County to face multiple felony charges, according to a detailed report by AZ Family. Another 17-year-old was arrested on April 1st in El Mirage, accused of hindering prosecution among other charges.
Interim Phoenix Police Chief Michael Sullivan expressed relief at the quick apprehension of suspects, stating, "The morning after the shooting I said we would not rest until we find those responsible and bring them to justice," as obtained by FOX 10 Phoenix He credited the arrests within 72 hours of the incident to the collaboration between the community and law enforcement partners. Phoenix City Councilmember Ann O'Brien echoed Sullivan's sentiment on the urgency of justice, decrying the violence against officers and stressing the importance of holding those responsible accountable, "to the fullest extent of the law."
Phoenix officials are urging the public to remember Officer Boswell, who is on the mend after the ordeal. "Please keep him and his family in your thoughts as he works his way through the recovery process resulting from this incident," the Phoenix Police Department said in a release, as detailed by AZ Family.
