The Phoenix Police Department is investigating an aggravated assault on a police officer that occurred this morning in south Phoenix. Around 2:30 a.m., a Phoenix police officer saw a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed in the area of 20th Street and Southern Avenue and relayed the information on his radio.
An officer in that area saw the vehicle traveling eastbound on Southern Avenue and attempted to stop the car. The adult male driver of the vehicle fired several shots at the officer as he was driving. Fully marked police cars pursued the suspect vehicle, and the driver again fired shots at officers in the area of 32nd Street and Southern.
As the pursuit continued, the vehicle drove southbound on 40th Street and westbound on Baseline Road. Just east of 7th Street, the vehicle hit a center median, a fire hydrant and another vehicle before coming to rest on the sidewalk. The car caught fire. The man got out of the car and officers moved him away from the car to take him into custody.
Officer realized the man was suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. At this time, it is not clear if the male suffered the gunshot wound prior to the officer attempting to stop the car, or if the wound was self-inflicted. There is no evidence to indicate any officers fired any shots.
The driver of the vehicle the man hit was not hurt. No officers or other community members were injured. The man was transported to a local hospital and is expected to survive his injuries.