A series of violent encounters, ending in a fatal police shooting in Tempe, has led to the linking of the slain suspect to what authorities are calling racially motivated crimes targeting Black individuals. Tempe Police Department has identified the man as 27-year-old Jason Fox, according to FOX 10 Phoenix.
The first of these incidents occurred near the Mill Avenue Bridge just before the stroke of midnight on September 30, where Fox allegedly accosted a couple shouting racial slurs and brandished a handgun before fleeing the scene, the same individual not 20 minutes later at Tempe Beach Park is said to have again deployed racial slurs then escalated his hostility to gun violence shooting a man in the face. This victim, now recovering from reconstructive surgery, was released from the hospital, as said in a statement obtained by ABC15.
The climactic incident took place during a traffic stop on October 1 near College Avenue and Curry Road when Fox, under pursuit for the aggravated assaults, shot an officer, precipitating returned fire from other officers at the scene resulting in Fox's death, the wounded officer has since been released from the hospital. "They attempted to detain him," said Tempe Police spokesperson Jessica Ells, "He shot our Tempe Police detective," her comments provided by FOX 10 Phoenix explain the situation which rapidly unfurled into an officer-involved shooting.
The department urges anyone with information to come forward, ensuring anonymity for those who wish it, and can be reached at 480-350-8311. as per FOX 10 Phoenix.
