The Tucson Police Department is investigating an Arizona Department of Public Safety trooper involved shooting that took place early Sunday morning on the eastbound I-10 Frontage Road at North Commerce Drive.
On February 21, 2016, just after 1:00 a.m., a sergeant and two troopers from the Arizona Department of Public Safety were working in the area of eastbound I-10 Frontage Road and North Commerce Drive reference reports of street racing. The troopers located a large group of vehicles and pedestrians possibly involved with street racing and began clearing them out of the area utilizing the public address system and activating emergency overhead lights on their marked patrol vehicles.
One trooper positioned his vehicle on the Frontage Road at Commerce Drive and was standing outside his vehicle. A vehicle began driving towards him and the trooper gave verbal commands to the driver to stop. The driver continued and the trooper discharged his weapon at the vehicle. The vehicle fled the area and an attempt to locate was placed on the vehicle.
The troopers requested immediate assistance from the Tucson Police Department. Officers from Operations Division West responded to the scene. The trooper suffered minor injuries and was transported to a local area hospital for evaluation. No other injuries were reported. Around 2:00 a.m., Tucson Police Department officers located the outstanding vehicle and conducted a traffic stop in the area of East Speedway Blvd. and North Stone Ave.
The occupants were detained without incident and no injuries were reported. A bullet strike was located on the vehicle.
Detectives from the Tucson Police Department and the Arizona Department of Public Safety Special Investigations Unit responded to continue the investigation. The Tucson Police Department detectives are conducting the criminal investigation into this incident as it occurred within the city limits of Tucson. The Arizona Department of Public Safety detectives are conducting a conducting a separate administrative investigation to examine the actions of their department personnel in response to this incident.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 88-CRIME.