SCOTTSDALE, AZ – A police chase came to a deadly end in the bustling city of Scottsdale, Arizona, as a suspect died in a firefight with local officers on Thursday evening. The suspect was identified as Laquanza Young, 52.
Scottsdale’s Police Chief, Jeff Walther, explained the sequence of events, stating that the episode launched with the department’s automatic license plate reader detecting a suspected stolen SUV from Phoenix.
According to Walther, as Young reached the Scottsdale Road intersection, intending to turn left onto Cactus Road, officers in a marked and unmarked vehicle trailed him to the crossroads. At the traffic signal, the officers triggered their sirens and lights, intending to pull him over.
No sooner had the traffic stop initiated than Young emerged from his vehicle, gun in hand. Not wasting a moment, he started firing.
Aggressively returning fire, the police officers managed to hit Young, who subsequently succumbed to his injuries inside the SUV. Neither of the officers sustained injury, but both police vehicles were hit by the gunfire.
Describing the intense situation, Walther underlined the jeopardy police officers face, stating that his department had experienced four shootings involving officers within just 14 months. In each instance, the suspects initiated gunfire at the officers. He further lauded the decisive actions of the officers present during Thursday’s encounter for their choice of timing and location for the traffic stop to ensure minimal risks to bystanders.
The officers in the incident, one with a service record of three years and the other a 24-year veteran, have since been placed on leave as per standard procedure during the investigation.
This fatal encounter marks the 16th officer-involved shooting in the Valley area and the 22nd statewide this year.