Chandler police shoot, wound armed suspect fleeing from traffic stop

A suspect who shot at police was wounded Thursday night when Chandler officers returned fire after a traffic stop, authorities said.

Officers stopped a sedan just before 8:15 p.m. Feb. 5 near Arizona Avenue and Riggs Road for a civil traffic violation. The car pulled into a shopping complex and came to a stop, according to a Chandler Police Department release.

That’s when a passenger ran from the car and began shooting. A Chandler police officer returned fire and began pursuing the suspect.  The officer also radioed for additional help and several other units arrived.

The suspect, who has not been identified, continued to run behind a building and eventually came out in front of a nearby storage facility.

“That’s when multiple officers fired. The suspect sustained a K9 bite and non-life-threatening gun-shot wound in the leg,” the release stated.

The suspect was in stable condition following the incident and will be booked into jail, police said, adding a gun was recovered from the scene.

No officers were injured, police said.

The officer-involved shooting is being investigated by the Mesa Police Department in accordance with the East Valley Critical Incident Response Team.

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