A Phoenix man has been handed a 14-year prison sentence for a 2022 attack that left two police officers injured, one of them by gunfire, authorities said.
The melee erupted when the officers attempted to stop a vehicle on March 13, 2022, near Maryland and 27th Avenues, for various traffic violations, according to FOX 10 Phoenix. The driver, later identified as Javon Beasley, sped away but was later sighted by the same patrol officers, instigating a second pursuit.
Devonte Thornton, the gunman, opened fire during the attempted traffic stop, striking one officer in the wrist and injuring another with flying glass shards, as per officials. Investigators say phone records indicate Beasley was communicating with Thornton at the time of the ambush, and the two lived together in a nearby apartment.
Former assistant chief of Phoenix Police, Andy Anderson, described the series of violent incidents against officers as "unprecedented, and it's tragic." He expressed his concern to FOX 10 Phoenix, adding "This kind of violence within our community and toward police officers cannot become the new normal." In light of the attacks, Anderson urged community leaders and elected officials to offer stronger support to law enforcement.
Chief Jeri Williams noted that Thornton's arrest marked the seventh Phoenix officer shot in the line of duty over a short three-month period. Williams called for the public's assistance in combating the increasing hostilities against police officers. Anyone with relevant information has been encouraged to reach out to Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS.
