'My rage just came out': Man accused of attacking Phoenix officer
PHOENIX - A man has now been indicted on numerous assault charges after he reportedly brutally attacked a Phoenix Police officer last month.
The incident happened at around 10:30 p.m. on April 30 at a strip mall near Central Avenue and Thomas Road. Police say the officer was responding to a fight in the area.
The suspect is identified as Rudy Gomez, 24.
"A Phoenix police officer was flagged down in the area of Central Avenue and Thomas Road by a woman needing help. The woman indicated she had been assaulted by the father of her children, Rudy Gomez. As the officer was talking with the woman, Gomez approached the officer in a highly agitated manner," police said in a news release.
Adding, "Gomez assaulted the officer, who ended up on the ground with Gomez punching him multiple times in the face and kicking him while he was down."
According to court documents, the officer suffered multiple injuries, including fractured orbital sockets, a laceration on the back of his head and above his right eye, and a fractured nasal septum and nasal bone.
"[The officer] was rendered unconscious and had no recollection as to why he was in the hospital," court documents read. The officer has since been released from the hospital and is recovering at home.
Gomez was taken into custody by other officers at the scene.
After he was placed under arrest, Gomez allegedly admitted to drinking before the incident started and said he was angry at the woman because "she left without giving him the opportunity to say good bye [sic] to the children."
Gomez caught up with the woman near 7th Street and Thomas Road where he allegedly broke the driver's side window of the woman's car, however, he denied striking the woman. He said he then saw the woman talking to the officer and "knew he was going to be arrested."
"He said he was going to get tackled by the officer, so ‘I just flipped,'" court documents read.
"My rage just came out," Gomez said when asked why he fought with the officer.
Gomez reportedly has a criminal record and just got off probation in 2022.
Officials with the Maricopa County Attorney's Office have asked for a $100,000 cash bail for Gomez, but a judge reportedly reduced that to $60,000 cash or bond.
On May 11, the attorney's office announced that Gomez was indicted on three counts of aggravated assault, four counts of endangerment and one count of assault.
City officials respond to attack
Phoenix City Councilmember speaks out on assault that left police officer injured
The assault incident happened on the night of April 30 at a strip mall near Central Avenue and Thomas Road, and it left an officer with multiple injuries. The suspect, identified as 24-year-old Rudy Gomez, has been arrested. FOX 10's Lindsey Ragas reports.
In the aftermath of the assault, officials are speaking out against what happened, as the officer injured remains in hospital.
"I got to visit him today with the mayor, and visit with him and his wife, and I am very thankful he was alive," said Phoenix City Councilmember Ann O'Brien.
During a city council meeting on May 2, Councilmember O'Brien spoke about the issue, saying more needs to be done to protect Phoenix police officers.
"[Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell] has already assured me she will be prosecuting this violent criminal to the fullest extent of the law," said Councilmember O'Brien. "Although this judge was lenient on bail, we will ensure the judge understands the full nature of this violent and unprovoked attack when sentencing, so that justice will be served for our officer."
Officials with the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association also released a statement, which reads:
"A uniformed Phoenix Police Officer was viciously attacked on Sunday night by a suspect named Rudy Gomez. The officer was responding to a call for help from Gomez’ girlfriend following a domestic violence incident.
When our officer attempted to take Gomez into custody, the suspect punched our officer in the face, rendering him unconscious. Gomez continued his attack, brutally punching the officer in the face an estimated dozen times and then stomping on the officer’s face. The attacker fled but was soon apprehended by responding officers.
Because of the vanilla media release by the police department, media reports have said our officer was hospitalized with serious but non-fatal injuries, but that doesn’t begin to convey the brutality of the attack. The officer’s injuries are horrific; two broken eye orbital bones, lacerations on the head and above the eye, and a broken nose. He was almost unrecognizable only minutes after the assault. It’s nothing short of miraculous that he survived.
To add insult to injury, a Maricopa County judge, Kenneth Skiff, set bond at a shockingly low $60,000 secured appearance bond, despite the seven charges that include two Class 2 felonies for aggravated assault on a police officer, a prior aggravated assault, and the $100,000 cash bond requested by the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.
Every society needs law and order to survive. Every law-abiding citizen should be incensed by the callousness of the uncontrolled rage Gomez displayed in his attack on our officer.
The Phoenix Law Enforcement Association is outraged over this horrific attack and the shameful miscarriage of justice by the court. Our officers deserve better."
Area where the officer was assaulted: