1 officer dead, 2 wounded in S. PHX shooting
by Sandra Haros, Bob McClay/KTAR and Associated Press (July 29th, 2010 @ 7:53am)
PHOENIX -- One Chandler police officer was killed and two others wounded in a gunbattle on a south Phoenix street.
Bullets started flying as the officers conducted an undercover drug operation, near 19th Avenue and Southern, about 7 p.m. Wednesday.
Six suspects were involved. Two died at the scene, two others were shot and two others taken into custody, according to Phoenix police.
Chandler police were still trying to sort out the details of the shooting Thursday. They said more information and the names of the officers probably would be released Thursday afternoon.
Mark Spencer of the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association said it is common for police in one Valley city to do operations in another.
"My understanding is it was just a narcotics operation. It was a buy bust. That's not unusual at all, going from town to town."
Spencer was among numerous law enforcement officers who gathered at St. Joseph's Hospital after hearing about the shooting. He said officers were dealing with a tough loss.
"Chandler officers are responding to a family member down. It's not an officer member down to them. It's a family member down."
Several clergy members also spent the evening counseling family members.
"This is a great loss," said Phoenix Police Sgt. Steve Martos. "You know, we have officers who come out here every day. They wear the badge. They come out to work. You can talk to any officer on the street -- they come out here and they do this for one reason."
"When something like this happens, it's like a family member who we've lost."
TV news helicopters showed the three officers being taken out of the home on stretchers about 7 p.m. Wednesday. The officer who died was pronounced dead at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix.
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