PHOENIX, Ariz. — A traffic stop turned violent in northeast Phoenix on May 25, 2025, after a driver attacked a patrol officer and attempted to grab the officer’s gun, prompting the officer to open fire.
According to the Phoenix Police Department, the incident occurred around 2:30 p.m. near 2500 East Cactus Road. A Desert Horizon Precinct officer pulled over a vehicle for a traffic violation when the male driver exited the car aggressively, shouting at the officer and refusing to comply with commands.
The situation quickly escalated when the suspect physically assaulted the officer and reached for the officer’s holstered firearm. Body-worn camera footage shows a citizen passerby rushing in to help restrain the man.
Fearing for his life, the officer discharged his weapon, striking the suspect in the lower body. Additional officers responded to the scene and provided medical aid, including applying a tourniquet. Both the suspect and the officer were transported to local hospitals. The suspect sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was later booked into jail.
The officer, a four-year department veteran, was treated and released. No other injuries were reported.
The Phoenix Police Department has launched both a criminal and administrative investigation into the incident.