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23-year-old man arrested, accused of firing at Phoenix Police patrol car

Published  July 7, 2017 6:40pm MST
Marcy Jones' Reports
FOX 10 Phoenix

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - Phoenix Police announced Friday the arrest of a man accused of shooting at two Phoenix Police officers on July 2.

According to Sgt. Mercedes Fortune with Phoenix Police, Derek M. Johnson was arrested on Thursday, at a home on the 2300 block of W. Hayward Avenue.

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During the investigation, police found that Johnson, 23, had an outstanding warrant for an armed robbery that allegedly took place on December 29, 2016. According to police, Johnson, along with three others, entered a business on the 300 block of N. 52nd Street, held a clerk at gunpoint while allegedly removing merchandise.

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The incident involving the Phoenix Police officers, according to Sgt. Fortune, took place at around 4:08 a.m. on July 2. According to a statement released by Phoenix Police at the time, officers responded to the 2600 block of West Hazelwood Street for an unknown trouble call. The caller reportedly indicated that the suspects were armed with handguns.

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At around 4:10 a.m., officers arrived in the area, and saw a man walking east on Hazelwood. The officer who was driving the car then placed a spotlight in the man's direction. The man, at first, stopped walking and placed his hands up. He then, however, turned away from the officers, removed a handgun, and fired a round at the officders, as he turned back to them.

The round, according to the earlier statement, impacted the center part of the patrol car's windshield. The officers reportedly left their patrol car, and left it in drive. The patrol car kept rolling until it hit a fence. The suspect was then seen running south on Black Canyon Access Road. Officers established a perimeter and searched for the suspect.

The two officers involved were identified as a 34-year-old and 39-year-old man. No officers were injured. Meanwhile, Johnson is accused of attempted first degree murder and armed robbery.