Po would had served out that street justice in my neck of the woods
January 2, 2014
$18K Robbery Led to Phoenix Officer, Civilian Shot
AP
PHOENIX — Police on Thursday commended the actions of citizens who offered help after an officer and another man were shot following the armed robbery of $18,000 from employees of a strip club.
Two men were eventually arrested after Tuesday afternoon's shooting, which erupted when the suspects' vehicle crashed while trying to flee.
The wounded Phoenix police officer was identified Thursday as Scott Sefranka, 34, a married, seven-year veteran of the force. Both Sefranka and the other man, a 63-year-old who is a volunteer member of the Maricopa County sheriff's posse, remained hospitalized in critical but stable condition.
Sheriff Joe Arpaio said the posse member is an Army veteran of the Vietnam War with extensive combat training.
"I'm proud that he saw the situation and he ran to help out the Phoenix police officer," Arpaio said Thursday, explaining that the man's family asked that he not be publicly identified.
Phoenix Police Chief Daniel Garcia called the officer and the civilian "courageous" while commending citizens in the area who offered assistance after the shooting. So many people came forward, Garcia said, that police had to use a city bus to transport them for questioning.
Roger Allen Sharp Jr., 26, of Phoenix, was being held on suspicion of attempted murder, burglary, unlawful flight, resisting arrest, and illegal possession of a weapon, given his previous felony convictions for possession of a forgery device.
David Lee Murray, 36, of Tempe, was booked on suspicion of armed robbery.
Bail for each man was set at $500,000. They were awaiting court-appointed lawyers.
Authorities say Sharp and Murray robbed two employees of Pink Rhino Cabaret at gunpoint as they left a restaurant around 2 p.m. Tuesday in east Phoenix.
The employees told police they had planned to deposit the $18,000 in a bank.
Sefranka, who had a 25-year-old woman in his patrol car on a ride-along, spotted the suspects' car and tried to stop it. The suspects' car then crashed into a truck, which was driven by the posse member who came to Sefranka's aid.
Murray ran away as Sefranka and the civilian struggled to subdue Sharp, police said. The suspect grabbed the officer's gun, shot both men, then ran away, police said. Murray and Sharp were arrested a short time later hiding in separate residential backyards.
As dozens of officers from multiple agencies swarmed the area Tuesday, authorities initially said they were searching for four more suspects.
Phoenix police Sgt. Tommy Thompson declined to comment Thursday on whether any suspects remained at large, only stating that it was an ongoing investigation aimed at apprehending "people that were involved or may be involved."
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Associated Press writer Walter Berry contributed to this report.
Phoenix police, Maricopa Posse member shooters identified
January 2, 2014 ADI News Services
The two men in custody for the shooting of a Phoenix Police officer and a Maricopa County Sheriff’s Posse member have been identified as Roger Allen Sharp, 26, and David Lee Murray Jr., 36, who were involved in a robbery before the shooting.
Police said that Sharp was booked on suspicion of two counts each of attempt to commit murder, armed robbery, burglary and prohibited possessor, and one count each of unlawful flight and resisting arrest. Murray was arrested on two counts of suspicion of armed robbery.
The Arizona Republic reports that a robbery suspect grabbed the police officer’s gun during a confrontation and shot them in a busy east Phoenix intersection on Tuesday afternoon. The shooting occurred in the intersection of 56th Street and Thomas Road, at the Phoenix-Scottsdale border, after the car of one of the suspects collided with a pickup truck as a police officer gave chase, authorities said.
Police believe that the seven year veteran of the police force struggled with the suspect, who wrestled the officer’s gun away.
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio described the Posse member as a Viet Nam veteran of the 82nd Airborne and a “tough guy” who came to the aid of the Phoenix officer after his truck was struck by the fleeing robber’s car.
January 2, 2014
$18K Robbery Led to Phoenix Officer, Civilian Shot
AP
PHOENIX — Police on Thursday commended the actions of citizens who offered help after an officer and another man were shot following the armed robbery of $18,000 from employees of a strip club.
Two men were eventually arrested after Tuesday afternoon's shooting, which erupted when the suspects' vehicle crashed while trying to flee.
The wounded Phoenix police officer was identified Thursday as Scott Sefranka, 34, a married, seven-year veteran of the force. Both Sefranka and the other man, a 63-year-old who is a volunteer member of the Maricopa County sheriff's posse, remained hospitalized in critical but stable condition.
Sheriff Joe Arpaio said the posse member is an Army veteran of the Vietnam War with extensive combat training.
"I'm proud that he saw the situation and he ran to help out the Phoenix police officer," Arpaio said Thursday, explaining that the man's family asked that he not be publicly identified.
Phoenix Police Chief Daniel Garcia called the officer and the civilian "courageous" while commending citizens in the area who offered assistance after the shooting. So many people came forward, Garcia said, that police had to use a city bus to transport them for questioning.
Roger Allen Sharp Jr., 26, of Phoenix, was being held on suspicion of attempted murder, burglary, unlawful flight, resisting arrest, and illegal possession of a weapon, given his previous felony convictions for possession of a forgery device.
David Lee Murray, 36, of Tempe, was booked on suspicion of armed robbery.
Bail for each man was set at $500,000. They were awaiting court-appointed lawyers.
Authorities say Sharp and Murray robbed two employees of Pink Rhino Cabaret at gunpoint as they left a restaurant around 2 p.m. Tuesday in east Phoenix.
The employees told police they had planned to deposit the $18,000 in a bank.
Sefranka, who had a 25-year-old woman in his patrol car on a ride-along, spotted the suspects' car and tried to stop it. The suspects' car then crashed into a truck, which was driven by the posse member who came to Sefranka's aid.
Murray ran away as Sefranka and the civilian struggled to subdue Sharp, police said. The suspect grabbed the officer's gun, shot both men, then ran away, police said. Murray and Sharp were arrested a short time later hiding in separate residential backyards.
As dozens of officers from multiple agencies swarmed the area Tuesday, authorities initially said they were searching for four more suspects.
Phoenix police Sgt. Tommy Thompson declined to comment Thursday on whether any suspects remained at large, only stating that it was an ongoing investigation aimed at apprehending "people that were involved or may be involved."
___
Associated Press writer Walter Berry contributed to this report.
Phoenix police, Maricopa Posse member shooters identified
January 2, 2014 ADI News Services
The two men in custody for the shooting of a Phoenix Police officer and a Maricopa County Sheriff’s Posse member have been identified as Roger Allen Sharp, 26, and David Lee Murray Jr., 36, who were involved in a robbery before the shooting.Police said that Sharp was booked on suspicion of two counts each of attempt to commit murder, armed robbery, burglary and prohibited possessor, and one count each of unlawful flight and resisting arrest. Murray was arrested on two counts of suspicion of armed robbery.
The Arizona Republic reports that a robbery suspect grabbed the police officer’s gun during a confrontation and shot them in a busy east Phoenix intersection on Tuesday afternoon. The shooting occurred in the intersection of 56th Street and Thomas Road, at the Phoenix-Scottsdale border, after the car of one of the suspects collided with a pickup truck as a police officer gave chase, authorities said.
Police believe that the seven year veteran of the police force struggled with the suspect, who wrestled the officer’s gun away.
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio described the Posse member as a Viet Nam veteran of the 82nd Airborne and a “tough guy” who came to the aid of the Phoenix officer after his truck was struck by the fleeing robber’s car.
