Suspect dead following officer-involved shooting in Tolleson

TOLLESON, Ariz. (FOX 10) - Police say a suspect is dead following an officer-involved shooting in Tolleson.

According to Phoenix police, undercover officers were doing surveillance on a murder suspect early Friday morning. The suspect noticed he was being followed and he rammed one of the undercover cars with his vehicle near 83rd Avenue and Van Buren.

"We heard the sirens for a long ways," said witness Stewart Sheridan. "They must have been chasing him for a long ways, whoever it was." 

The suspect then tried to carjack someone who was driving by. When police saw this, they tried to intervene, but the suspect pulled out and gun and was shot by police.

"I was taking my son to school, and when we turned to drop him off, we heard gunshots," said a witness, identified only as "Pamela".

The suspect was taken to a hospital where he later died. No officers were hurt in the shooting.

On Friday evening, police identified the suspect as 51-year-old Rene Enrique Ruiz. They say he was a suspect in a murder that happened on August 17 near 35th Avenue and Buckeye Road. The officer involved in the shooting was identified as a 39-year-old white male who has served on the force for 20 years.

Nearby schools were placed on lockdown this morning as a result of the shooting.

Police say Van Buren remains closed from 83rd to 91st Avenues. Phoenix police say this is the 11th officer-involved shooting so far this year.