Officer injured, suspect dead in Mesa shooting: PD

A shooting early Wednesday morning in the East Valley left an officer injured and a suspect dead.

What we know:

According to Mesa Police, officers on Oct. 29 responded just after 2 a.m. to reports of a possibly impaired man trespassing near Sossaman and Ray Roads.

"Officers located the man in a vehicle in the parking lot. The man was confrontational and fled from officers in his vehicle," read a portion of the statement. "Officers utilized a Grappler device to successfully stop the vehicle. The man accelerated the vehicle, trying to flee."

Police say officers then deployed less-lethal bean bags and pepper balls at the suspect vehicle.

What they're saying:

"After a short standoff, the man shot at officers from his vehicle. This is when the officer involved shooting occurred. One officer was struck by the man’s gunfire and was taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. He is in good spirits and in stable condition." officials wrote. "The man continued to ignore officer’s directions and additional less lethal munitions were used. Officers continued their efforts to have the man surrender peacefully. During these efforts, one gunshot was heard coming from the vehicle. The man was later pronounced dead on-scene."

Police also say multiple officers fired their duty weapons.

"No other individuals were injured during the shooting and there are no outstanding suspects," officials wrote.

The incident also prompted traffic in the area to be shut down for some time. 

What's next:

Mesa Police say the incident is being investigated by Gilbert Police under the East Valley Critical Incident Response Team.

Help is available. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to civilians and veterans. Support in Spanish is also available. You can also chat with crisis counselors via online chat.

CLICK HERE for the warning signs and risk factors of suicide.

Map of where the shooting happened

The Source: The Mesa Police Department

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