Police said the suspect was critically injured after fleeing from a reported shooting near Avondale Boulevard and Van Buren Street.
AVONDALE, AZ — A reported road rage shooting in Avondale on Saturday led to a high-speed police chase and a violent crash that left the suspected shooter in extremely critical condition, authorities said.
The incident shut down parts of a busy west Valley corridor and drew a large police response on June 6. Avondale police said the case began as an aggravated assault shooting, then quickly became a pursuit as the suspect left the area at high speed. The people in the vehicle that was shot at were not injured, police said.
Officers were called about 12:40 p.m. to the area of Avondale Boulevard and Van Buren Street after reports that a man had fired at another vehicle. Police said the man then drove away. Officers found the suspect’s vehicle and the chase continued through Avondale, moving along a stretch lined with homes, businesses and major cross streets. Police said the vehicle was traveling extremely fast before it struck another car near Thomas Road and Avondale Boulevard. The suspect did not stop after that collision and continued south before crashing again just south of Bermuda Drive.
The final crash left the suspect’s vehicle heavily damaged. Video from the scene showed officers pulling the man from the wrecked car after the chase ended. The vehicle appeared crushed and disabled after the collision. Police said the suspect was taken to a nearby hospital in extremely critical condition. The driver of the vehicle hit near Thomas Road suffered minor injuries. Investigators said the original shooting victims were not struck by gunfire and were not hurt. Police had not released the suspect’s name, age or hometown by Saturday evening.
The case remained under investigation as an aggravated assault shooting, a police pursuit and a multi-vehicle crash. Authorities had not said what led to the road rage encounter, whether the suspect and victims knew each other, or how many shots were fired. Police also had not released details about the firearm, the number of people in the targeted vehicle or whether any officers fired weapons during the response. The investigation focused on the first report near Van Buren Street, the collision at Thomas Road and the final crash scene south of Bermuda Drive.
The crash affected traffic in the area for several hours. Police closed Avondale Boulevard at Thomas Road while investigators worked at the scene. Garden Lakes Parkway and Lakeshore Drive also were closed as officers documented evidence and cleared the damaged vehicles. The closures were near neighborhoods and shopping areas in a city that sits west of Phoenix and north of Interstate 10. Avondale Boulevard is one of the city’s main north-south routes, and Thomas Road is a key east-west street through the west Valley.
No charges had been announced Saturday evening because the suspect remained hospitalized. Police said the next steps include reviewing the shooting report, documenting the pursuit route, checking crash evidence and speaking with witnesses. Investigators also are expected to review any video from patrol vehicles, nearby businesses or traffic cameras that may have captured the shooting, the chase or the crash. The case could be referred to prosecutors after police complete the initial investigation and the suspect’s medical condition becomes clearer.
The scene drew attention from drivers and nearby residents as police vehicles blocked intersections and investigators worked around the wreckage. The most serious injury reported by police was to the suspect, whose condition was described as extremely critical. The driver hit during the pursuit suffered minor injuries, while the people who first reported being shot at escaped injury. Police did not report injuries to officers or bystanders.
As of Saturday evening, Avondale police were still investigating the shooting, pursuit and crash. The next major update is expected when police identify the suspect, release more details about the shooting or announce whether charges will be filed.
Author note: Last updated June 6, 2026.