SANTAN, AZ — A Phoenix-area police officer was killed and another was injured — along with four other individuals — after a shooting on Saturday morning in the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona.
Gila River police said at around 2 a.m. they were dispatched to a home in the Santan area outside of Phoenix for a reported disturbance.
When officers arrived at the scene, an individual or individuals fired shots as they encountered a large crowd of people. Six people were taken to area hospitals with varying injuries. One of the officers, identified by officials as Joshua Briese, later died.
The department says Officer Briese had been with the force for less than a year and was still in a field training program. The second injured officer was reportedly in serious, but stable condition.
Police said at least one of the four other individuals shot has also died. Specific conditions on the others injured were not immediately available, Scripps News Phoenix reported.
It was not clear by Saturday if a suspect or suspects who fired gunshots were still at large. No suspect information was immediately released. Gila River police and the FBI are investigating.
Gila River Indian Community Governor Stephen Roe Lewis released a statement Saturday morning writing, “We are coordinating closely with law enforcement to make sure we have a comprehensive understanding of what happened here. I know I speak for our entire Community when I say that we grieve for our fallen and injured police officers and every community member touched by such tragic violence.”
Lewis said, “Nothing cuts deeper than a life cut short. We will pray for our officers and their families, and for every community member, every loved one, and every family impacted by what happened this morning.”
This story was originally published by Scripps News Phoenix.
