Parker Live News from the Parker Strip since 2009.
UPDATE 2:
A press conference in Phoenix with the Arizona Department of Public Safety this afternoon gave more details on the shooting incident. La Paz County Sheriff Bill Risen appears just after the 12 minute mark.
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UPDATE:
The suspect has been named as 36 year-old Sladjan Petkovic, accused of shooting and killing his neighbor, 45 year-old Steven Arvallo, near 99th Avenue and Broadway the night before. According to media reports, the two men were involved in a dispute with each other and the shooting occurred after their latest argument.
Additionally, Petkovic allegedly shot at a semi truck driver between the two incidents. The driver reportedly suffered minor shrapnel wounds and called 911, alerting cops to the location of the suspect. It is unconfirmed whether Petkovic fired at the truck driver.
Petkovic has life-threatening injuries from officers’ rounds, according to police.
Photo: Associated Press
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ORIGINAL STORY:
Officers exchanged gunfire with a suspect for an extended period of time at a rest area on Interstate 10, according to La Paz County Sheriff’s Department.
At around 2:40 a.m. Tuesday morning, Sheriff’s deputies, Arizona state troopers and Quartzsite police officers were involved in the shootout with a man who they believe is the same suspect being sought for an earlier shooting in Phoenix.
“Local law enforcement was advised of a shooting that had occurred in the Phoenix area and the suspect was believed to be in La Paz County,” said a Sheriff’s press release. “Soon after receiving the suspect information, Central Dispatch received a 911 call of a separate shooting near mile post 63 (9 miles west of the Maricopa County line). This ended up, allegedly, being the same suspect out of the Phoenix.”
After agencies responded, police made contact with the man at the Bouse Wash Rest Area near mile post 53 on I-10, according to the press release. The suspect was “heavily armed” and was taking cover inside his vehicle in the parking area.
Sheriff’s Department photo
Gunfire lasted for at least 30 minutes as the suspect exchanged gunfire with officers. At the conclusion of the incident, the man was “severely injured” by gunfire and was transported to a hospital in the greater Phoenix area.
“Due to the fact that this is an ongoing investigation with multiple victims and crime scenes, we’re not going to identify the suspect at this time,” the Sheriff’s Department said. “A section of Interstate 10, westbound, is still closed while the crime scene is being processed. We do not have reports of any officers being injured. We will release further as information is available.”
The fact he was only severly injured with that many rounds, and not dead says La Paz law enforcement needs a larger caliber sidearm, and maybe more range time. That many rounds, the suspect should have been dead.
He may have been wearing body armor..
So shoot him in the head, or use larger caliber firearms.
Phx Law enforcement, you need to get a handle on your criminals! This is ridiculous, that we have to have our area enforcement apprehend your vicious criminals.
Holy shit! I cannot post the screen shot of the vehicle but he survived!? ????????
Right?!
I sure hope we get updated on this cluster f*#k of an apprehension.
Theyre not all from just the sheriffs office there were 2 other agencies there also
La Paz Law Enforcement as a whole, not just SO… Lol
Dang!
Closer to the Phoenix area
When you have exchanged gunfire with someone THEN you can comment on what was done wrong. Until then simply thank those willing to do so.
For all you so called know it all’s, none of you know what size amo law enforcement was using and none of you know if he was in body amor or just where he was in the vehicle, maybe he was hiding in the back laying down.This could of gotten much uglier then it was. Our law enforcement agencies kept this from going into more populated areas, awesome team work with so many agencies working together.
Aaron what makes you the expert? You don’t know what size amo Law enforcement used and from what distance they were shooting, nor where in the vehicle was the suspect. If they knew for a fact he was sitting in the drivers seat you would only see shots in that direct area of the vehicle, he could of been laying down in the back firing between his seats or out open side windows. Stop acting like you know what law enforcement needs. These officers did a dam good job keeping this idiot from going into a more populated area. There were multi-pal agencies out there not only 2 or 3.
I don’t see a cluster F, these officers laying their lives down on the line did a fine job getting this guy.
Fox 10 needs to learn google maps, mp 53 on I10 is no where near Quartzsite. Quartzsite is at Exit 17. Nor was this rest area near Phoenix. Closest township would of been Vicksburg which is at exit 45. CBS 5 saying near a rest area near the California border, it’s 53 miles from the state line.
CBS just stated he was dressed in body armor, see how it’s not cool to judge before all the facts are out.
Candi Evans your assumption I was referring to any “officers” involved is a stretch. Nothing but respect for all LEO’s. It was a cluster f*#k.
I agree with you completly Candi there are so many other factors that could have played out with this situation. And shooting in a high stress situation is not as easy as people think it is
Illegal invader ????
CraZy
It appears to me that the cops need more practices on the pistol range. I can’t imagine tacking all that time to subdue the indiviual
Well it explains all the sirens a couple days ago. The dogs wouldn’t shut up.
Judging by the monumental amount of ignorance on display in this comments section, I would suggest that in the future there may be some articles on this site that don’t need to have the comments enabled.
George- Ultimately we believe in free speech, regardless of whether it’s in the category of ‘helpful speech’ or ‘constructive speech’ or not.
George and Candi. Every one has the protection of the first article of the Bill of Rights not just George and Candi.