Officers shot and killed a suspect in a string of robberies after he was found sleeping behind the wheel of an SUV and later woke up and suddenly drove toward them, according to Metro Police.
The man, part of a group that had been robbing and carjacking people in the east valley, was shot multiple times about 4 a.m. in a neighborhood near Radwick Drive and Owens Avenue, Metro Capt. Jamie Prosser said. He died at the scene.
Officers spotted the man sleeping in a Dodge Durango stolen Friday in an armed carjacking, Prosser said. Police think the vehicle was subsequently used in at least three robberies, she said.
The man had a rifle next to him when officers approached, so they backed away, Prosser said. A Metro helicopter and K9 were summoned, and officers put spikes in front of the SUV, police said.
At some point, the man woke up, made a U-turn and accelerated toward the officers, police said. Multiple officers opened fire, and the man crashed into a Metro vehicle, police said.
Two other people linked to the suspect were arrested Wednesday after a person was wounded in a shooting during an attempted robbery in the northeast valley, Prosser said. The victim in that case was released from the hospital, but additional details on the incident and arrests were not immediately available.
Today’s officer-involved shooting was the second one in the last week involving a suspect in an armed robbery.
In the other case, a Metro detective shot a person after he tried to drive away as officers were trying to take him into custody, police said.