Oklahoma Man Shoots 5 Officers, Injures 4 In Ambush During Arizona
By Dani Medina
February 12, 2022
Police responded to a 911 call early Friday morning in southwest Phoenix for a woman who had been shot. It turned into a standoff where ultimately five officers were shot and four were injured.
The shooter, identified as Morris Jones, 36, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was pronounced dead at the scene of a gunshot wound, according to AZ Central. The woman, who is believed to be Jones' ex-girlfriend, was critically injured and died later on Friday.
“I cannot recall an incident in city history where so many officers were injured,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said at a press conference Friday.
At around 2:15 a.m. Friday, Phoenix police arrived to the house after a 911 call said there were "multiple armed suspects inside the house," according to AZ Central. There were four people inside the house — two men, a woman and a baby.
Nine officers have been injured and woman killed in an early morning incident involving a homicide suspect. For the latest most accurate information go click the link below and get it directly from #phxpd #phoenixpolice https://t.co/77mgYzVAwA pic.twitter.com/2SU4wbV1Ud
— Phoenix Police (@PhoenixPolice) February 12, 2022
Jones invited an officer inside and then shot him several times with a handgun as he approached the door. The officer was able to get to safety as more officers arrived. Jones continued to shoot in their direction as an officer returned fire, telling Jones to go back inside. He tried to escape, but was unsuccessful.
As police told those inside the home to walk outside, one man walked out with a baby in his hand. The man was a family member of someone who lives inside the house and cooperated. As police went to rescue the baby, Jones shot four officers. Four other officers were injured by shrapnel. An officer returned fire as they tried to take cover.
SWAT arrived on the scene and Jones shot in their direction, too. SWAT was unable to get Jones to come outside, so they used a camera to look inside. Jones wasn't moving. Police found Jones dead and a woman critically injured. The woman died later Friday. Jones was pronounced dead on the scene.
The officers who were shot have non-life-threatening injuries. The four who were injured are suffering minor injuries. All are expected to survive. The baby is now under the care of the Arizona Department of Child Safety.
The investigation is still ongoing.