Thread: AZ: One Officer Shot and Another Killed at El Gran Mercado

One Buckeye officer killed, another wounded, in Phoenix:

by D.S. Woodfill and Laurie Merrill

May. 1, 2011 08:27 AM

The Arizona Republic

One Buckeye police officer is dead and another in critical condition with multiple gunshot wounds after an altercation with three suspects escalated into a gun battle in the area of 1800 S. 35th Ave. in Phoenix early Sunday, Phoenix police said.

One suspect is also dead and another is in critical condition with multiple gunshot wounds, said Phoenix Police Sgt. Tommy Thompson. The third suspect fled the scene, he said.

"Anytime an officer dies, it tears at the core of our community," Thompson said. "If a person is willing to shoot at an officer they are certainly willing to shoot at a member of the community."

The fatal shooting of the Buckeye police officer is Buckeye's first police fatality in 2011, according to records. Police said they would release the names of the Buckeye police officers and the suspects late Sunday or early Monday.

Thompson said the two officers were working off-duty security detail at a business called El Gran Mercado, as is common for police officers, when they became involved in a dispute with three suspects around 1 a.m. that turned into a gun fight.

The location is known for hosting events, such as concerts or dancing, but it's unclear what was being hosted Saturday night, Thompson said.

The swap meet, where beer is sold, was the scene of a Maricopa County Sheriff's Office raid in September, 2009. More than 200 deputies and posse members converged on the market. They arrested 53 people, including 10vendors, 24 of whom were undocumented, sheriffs said. They also seized thousands of boot-legged DVDs said to be worth more than $100,000.

Every day across Maricopa County, hundreds of police officers work extra duty shifts to help pay bills, buy Christmas gifts and save for their children's colleges, Thompson said.

It was unclear why Buckeye officers were working the Phoenix detail instead of Phoenix officers. It is also not known if other off-duty officers were on the scene, Thompson said.

"Investigators are on the scene meticulously combing evidence to determine what led up to a deadly gunbattle," Thompson said.

The Buckeye officer's death came a day before the 38th Arizona Peace Officers Memorial Service. It is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Monday at the Wesley Bolin Memorial Park near the State Capitol.

The event honor officers slain in 2010, and puts their names on a plaque. Those slain last year include: Officer Carlos Ledesma, Chandler Police Department; Officer Travis Murphy, Phoenix Police Department; Deputy Brian Harris, Kane County Sheriff Department; Agent Michael Gallagher, United States Border Patrol and Agent Brian Terry, United States Boarder Patrol.

Video link: http://www.azcentral.com/video/927014009001

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... z1L8bVHc8G

One Buckeye police officer is dead and another in critical condition with multiple gunshot wounds after an altercation with three suspects escalated into a gun battle in the area of 1800 S. 35th Ave. in Phoenix early Sunday, Phoenix police said.

El Gran Mercado says's a lot about who shot one officer and murdered another, although author of news article did not report such information.