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Two Queen Creek Officers Injured as Police Kill Armed Hit-and-Run Suspect After Neighborhood Search

Investigators say 23-year-old Gaven Johnson fired once with a handgun, striking both officers.

Overview

  • Queen Creek police were assisting the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office after a driver crashed into a ditch near Ocotillo and Gantzel roads and fled on foot.
  • The Town of Queen Creek issued a shelter-in-place alert around 6:30 p.m., sharing a description of the suspect and urging residents to stay indoors and lock doors.
  • Officers set a perimeter in the Ironwood Crossing area near Meridian and Queen Creek roads, and surveillance video indicated the suspect was armed.
  • Police located Johnson near Joshua Tree Avenue, where he fired a single round that hit two officers before he was shot by officers and died at the scene.
  • One officer was hospitalized with a non-life-threatening injury and the other was treated at the scene, and the Mesa Police Department is leading the investigation.