DPS: Armed suspect dead following high-speed chase that ended in shooting
PHOENIX - An alleged armed suspect is dead after fleeing from an Arizona Department of Public Safety trooper who tried to pull him over for allegedly going more than 90 mph on I-10.
DPS Capt. Keith Gephart held a press conference on the evening of July 4 detailing the incident.
He says a suspect, only identified as a male, was driving on I-10 near 32nd Street around 4:25 p.m. when a trooper on a motorcycle saw him going over 90 mph in a 55 mph zone. The trooper tried pulling him over, but he didn't stop and began going at speeds of more than 100 mph.
The suspect got off the freeway at 24th Street and at some points drove the wrong way into traffic. The trooper tried to stop him by using the pit maneuver, but it didn't work.
Capt. Gephardt says the suspect then got back onto the freeway then got off again at the Washington/Jefferson Streets exit.
Suspect dead following Phoenix shooting
The incident, which happened in the area of 24th Street and Jefferson, involved a DPS trooper, but DPS officials say they are not sure at this time whether the suspect died from being shot by authorities, or via a self-inflicted gunshot wound. FOX 10's Stephanie Bennett reports.
After driving a little while longer, he says the suspect got out of his car and began running. The trooper chased the suspect and shortly after that, the trooper reportedly saw him holding a handgun.
The number of troopers that shot at the suspect isn't clear, Capt. Gephardt says. The suspect was taken to the hospital and was pronounced dead around 4:57 p.m.
It's not yet clear if the suspect died from being shot by authorities or a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Capt. Gephardt said.
The Mercedes SUV that the suspect was driving was reported to be stolen and had "fictitious" paper plates.
No other injuries to civilians or law enforcement were reported.
"Anytime something like this happens, that is a possibility. Pedestrians can be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Other cars are many times struck, but at this point, in this instance, none of that occurred. The only person that was injured was the suspect.
This marks the second trooper-involved shooting in Phoenix during the past two weeks. The first shooting happened on June 19, when a trooper was shot in the leg during a traffic stop in the area of 21st Avenue and Thomas. The trooper was taken to the hospital for treatment and left the same day.