A man was shot by Peoria police officers after fleeing from a vehicle that was reported stolen, at the convergence of 89th and Peoria avenues, during the early hours of Wednesday morning. As reported by ABC15, law enforcement responded to the incident just before 3:30 a.m.
Police had received notification of the stolen vehicle via a FLOCK hit near 75th and Peoria avenues, with subsequent alerts directing them closer to the location of the U-Haul rental truck that was reported stolen from an unspecified location. In the chaotic sequence following the pursuit, 41-year-old Anthony Sesmas, initially seated as a passenger in the vehicle, exited and fled the scene, only to be involved in a shooting with police after allegedly brandishing a gun. The female driver was taken into custody without incident.
The incident escalated when Sesmas was approached by officers and was found to be carrying a handgun, prompting two officers to discharge their weapons, striking him in the process. Peoria police later stated that Sesmas was transported to a hospital with injuries sustained during the shooting. "Sesmas later pulled out a handgun, which prompted two officers to open fire, hitting Sesmas," according to Peoria police, as ABC15 reported.
Fortunately, there were no injuries reported among the officers, and the surrounding community seemed to be unaffected by any property damage as a result of the incident. A gun was found at the scene, but it remains unclear if Sesmas had pointed it at the officers. After being administered life-saving efforts on site, Sesmas was stabilized and is no longer in the ICU. "An officer fired at least one round at Sesmas, striking him," per details from a 12News report.
In terms of the ongoing investigation, the West Valley OIS Response Team, with the Buckeye Police Department taking the lead on the officer-involved shooting (OIS) segment of the case, has assumed responsibility. Peoria Avenue was closed between 89th and 91st avenues for further investigative procedures. According to 12News, once released from the hospital, Sesmas will be booked on several felony warrants in addition to new felony charges stemming from the incident.
