Officer Dies Of Gunshot Wound; Police Shoot, Kill Suspect

POSTED: 9:27 am PDT September 18, 2007
UPDATED: 8:12 pm PDT September 18, 2007


PHOENIX -- Phoenix police Tuesday shot and killed a man suspected of shooting and killing an officer, carjacking a vehicle and taking a man hostage.

"It is an unfortunate situation I have to inform you that the City of Phoenix has suffered another tragedy," said Mike Frazier, assistant police chief.

"We lost an officer who was killed in the line of duty," Frazier said.

Police said two officers, Nick Erfle and Rob Rodarme, stopped two women and a man who were jaywalking near 24th Street and Thomas Road around 8:30 a.m.

Police said the officers asked the three for identification and learned the man, who identified himself as 24-year-old Anthony Sanchez, had a misdemeanor warrant out for his arrest. Phoenix police Sgt. Joel Tranter later said Sanchez was one of many aliases used by the man.

The man was later identified as Erik Jovani Martinez.

Erfle walked back to Martinez and began to arrest him, Tranter said. Rodarme was nearby with the two female subjects.

A physical confrontation quickly ensued and Martinez pulled a handgun and fired multiple shots, Tranter said. One of them struck Erfle.

(From the AZ Dept. of Correction web site)
MARTINEZ ERIK J 04/18/1985

Gender Height (inches) Weight Hair Color
MALE 67 182 BLACK

Eye Color Ethnic Origin Custody Class Inmate / Detainee
BROWN MEXICAN NATIONAL 2/3 INMATE

Sentence (yyymmdd) Admission Prison Release Date Max End Date
001/00/00 01/23/2006 06/07/2006 06/07/2006

Cur. Absconded Hist. Absconded Release Type Most Recent Loc.
-- -- COMM SUP END DT [info] ASPC - TUCSON