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MESA, Ariz. (FOX 10) - A man is in critical condition after getting shot by a Mesa police officer and another man is in custody following an officer-involved shooting. The shooting took place around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday evening near Country Club and Broadway after police pursued two suspects who fled from a traffic stop about a half mile away.
Mesa Police say the gang task force tried to pull a car over when 32-year-old Jose Preciado drove off and stopped the car when he and another man ran off in different directions. The officers then chased after them on foot. At some point, Preciado, who was a passenger in the car, pulled out a gun and pointed it at officers. One of the officers felt threatened and opened fire, hitting the suspect several times.
"Interestingly enough, that suspect then, as that happened, threw his handgun over the handrail and it's actually laying here [at] Country Club Dr.," said Commander Ed Wessing with Mesa Police. "That's why we have multiple streets shut off, including the area where the shooting occurred. [The] suspect has been transported [to the hospital] in critical condition, but is expected to survive."
Preciado was caught in a nearby neighborhood and is facing charges of unlawful flight from law enforcement. He was taken into custody and is being questioned.
No officers were hurt, but something of note with this officer-involved shooting is that officers were not wearing body cameras.