MARICOPA, Ariz. — A 17-year-old is dead after being shot during a gunfire exchange in Maricopa early on the morning of June 28, a city representative said.
Officers were called to the scene near the intersection of Honeycutt and Hartman roads after a neighbor called 911 saying they witnessed three people trying to break into cars, a spokesperson said.
The neighbor said they followed the three suspects until they allegedly threatened to shoot them.
When officers arrived, they reported seeing the three men breaking into a black Hyundai that was parked on the side of the road.
Police approached the suspects, who fled from the scene on foot. Two of the individuals jumped over a backyard wall and fled into a field. The other suspect ran into a nearby neighborhood.
During the foot pursuit, one of the individuals reportedly shot at two of the responding officers, and one of them fired back.
One officer and one suspect were injured in the shooting. The officer's injuries are considered non-life threatening. The 17-year-old suspect died on the way to a nearby hospital.
The deceased teen's identity has not yet been confirmed by officials, Maricopa police said.
Authorities said the two other suspects were arrested. One of them is 17 years old and is facing charges of armed robbery and criminal damage.
The third suspect, a 20-year-old, was turned over to the Gila River Police Department due to the location of his arrest.
The wounded officer has since been released from the hospital and is recovering at home.
A total of four cars were broken into. Hunter Bank's Hyundai was the only one that was damaged.
"Never really had somebody break into my car and try to steal something," Banks told 12News. "It's not the greatest feeling."
Banks said he purchased the car in January. He was alerted to the situation outside his home when a police officer knocked on his door.
"They pretty much broke out the window on the side, climbed through the back, and then ripped out the ignition and tried to start it," Banks said. "They pulled the whole steering column out and the ignition is on the ground."
A Maricopa police spokesperson said they've had a series of car thefts in the city.
The FBI will take over the investigation as the shooting happened in the Gila River Indian Community.
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