Three men were taken into custody Saturday night after a long police chase that started in north Phoenix and ended well past the Valley near Tonopah. The pursuit began after reports of a loud disturbance and gunfire, with officers following the vehicle onto Interstate 10 before it was finally stopped and the occupants arrested.
Police Track Fleeing Vehicle From Neighborhood To Desert Stretch
Shortly after 9:30 p.m., officers were called to a reported noise disturbance near 29th Street and Kathleen Road, just north of Greenway Road. When they arrived, police said they heard gunshots coming from a vehicle and tried to pull it over, but the driver took off. Ground units backed off while a police helicopter kept an eye on the fleeing car from above. The vehicle headed west on Interstate 10 and was stopped near Salome Road in Tonopah, where officers arrested the three men inside. Their names have not been released, and there were no reported injuries in the area where the incident began, according to AZFamily.
Air Support And Pursuit Rules Guide Police Response
Under the Phoenix Police Department's vehicle operations order, the Air Support Unit, when available, "should be requested to provide active observation on the vehicle" when there are signs of unlawful flight. Supervisors are instructed to weigh whether continuing a pursuit poses a greater danger to life and property than letting a suspect go for the moment. The policy also directs officers to factor in traffic conditions, time of day and visibility before deciding to stay in a chase, and notes that ground units may pull back if the risk climbs too high, according to the Phoenix Police Department.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have not released the identities of the three men or said what charges they may face, AZFamily reported. Phoenix police said there were no reported injuries in the neighborhood where officers first heard the gunfire.
