A fatal officer-involved shooting occurred on Thursday morning in Chandler, leaving an armed suspected burglar dead at the scene, FOX 10 Phoenix reports. The Chandler Police Department says they responded to a call around 7 a.m. about an attempted break-in near Frye Road and Windstream Place, following which the suspect fled the scene in a vehicle and led officers on a pursuit.
The chase led to a collision with another vehicle and resulted in the suspect's car being boxed in by police at the intersection of McQueen and Pecos roads, this series of events escalated when the suspect, who was armed with a rifle, exited his vehicle and attempted to flee, according to information obtained by AZ Family. Officers commanded the suspect to halt but opened fire when he tried to run, leading to his death at the intersection of Frye and McQueen Roads, no officers were injured during the confrontation.
"The caller reported that an unknown person was trying to enter their house and was now arguing with their father in the garage," Chandler Police detailed in a statement obtained by FOX 10 Phoenix. The subsequent events unfolded rapidly, with the suspect not just fleeing but also ramming a patrol vehicle before the fatal shooting took place.
The identity of the suspect has not been disclosed as the case remains under investigation by the Mesa Police Department as part of the East Valley Critical Incident Response Team the circumstances of the shooting are being scrutinized, including "the exact manner of how the shooting took place is still under investigation, whether who was moving and what direction and where, that's all something that’s being looked into right now," a Chandler Police spokesperson Ryan Cody told FOX 10 Phoenix. This incident marks the 23rd officer-involved shooting in Maricopa County and 48th in Arizona this year alone, as per AZ Family.
A local resident, Stacey, expressed her dismay to FOX 10 Phoenix, saying, "I can’t believe it. It’s frustrating things happen in the state. You don’t know what’s happening and if it happens, and you’re just frustrated." The shooting has left the community seeking answers, with the familiarity of such incidents not lessening their impact on those who find themselves close to where such a tragic narrative unfolds.
