Phoenix police detectives are investigating an aggravated assault on an officer early Sunday morning. The officer is expected to survive his injuries.
The suspect has been hospitalized due to issues unrelated to the incident.
According to the Phoenix Police Department, on Sunday just after 1:00 a.m., an officer responded to a trespassing call at a gas station near 17th Avenue and Bell Road. The officer was directed to a man inside the business and was told by an employee they wanted him trespassed off the property. The officer spoke to the man and informed him he was no longer allowed to be on the property. The officer escorted the man towards the exit when the man pulled a knife and violently attacked the officer.
During the assault, employees inside the store rushed to the officer’s aide and fought with the armed suspect. They were able to subdue the suspect until other officers arrived and took the man into custody. The officer was rushed to the hospital with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. The employees who assisted the officer were treated on scene for minor injuries. The suspect was also taken to the hospital where he was admitted for medical issues unrelated to the incident.
The officer currently remains in the hospital as he continues to recover from his injuries. The department appreciates the community’s support and we ask to keep the officer in your thoughts.
The suspect will be booked on multiple felony charges once he is released from the hospital.
“I am so grateful that our officer injured last night is stable and recovering in the hospital. This is the second Phoenix officer who has been violently attacked in a week. I refuse to let this become the norm. It is unacceptable and the community should be outraged,” said Interim Phoenix Police Chief Michael Sullivan.