Critical Incident Briefing: New Video of Officer Involved Shooting near US 60 & Country Club
APRIL 29, 2020 11:00 AM
The Phoenix Police Department released a Critical Incident Briefing video related to an officer-involved shooting that happened on February 20, 2020.
The incident happened just before 2 a.m. in Mesa near the US-60 and Country Club.
Two Officers from the Mountain View Precinct noticed a man in a vehicle speeding westbound on the I-10 as they approached 27th Ave. The officers tried to stop the driver, later identified as 25-year-old Santiago Ramirez, but he sped off. Patrol officers pulled back, allowing the Phoenix Police helicopter to track Ramirez and report his location over the radio.
Ramirez drove throughout the valley — from Phoenix to Tempe, and into Mesa. He stopped twice to get out of his car but got back in as the police helicopter continued to follow overhead.
Police deployed stop sticks in the area of Mesa Dr. just North of the US-60. Ramirez re-entered the US-60 westbound with a partially disabled car due to the stop sticks. He eventually crashed into a chain-link fence along the exit ramp. The vehicle was no longer drivable.
At this point, Ramirez ran from his car to a truck driven by an 18-year-old man. Ramirez began pulling on the driver side door handle while banging on the drivers' window.
An officer from the Tactical Support Bureau's (TSB) K-9 unit observed Ramirez trying to carjack the victim, and fired one round from his service weapon at Ramirez, who was not struck.
After the shooting, Ramirez jumped into the bed of the victim's truck as the teen drove a short distance.
As police officers approached the vehicle, the teenaged driver stopped, and police were able to take Ramirez into custody.
Detectives later learned that the vehicle driven by Ramirez was stolen out of Avondale. In addition, detectives located narcotic drugs and a stolen handgun inside the vehicle.
Phoenix Police Detectives interviewed Ramirez and booked him for Felony Flight, Theft of Means of Transportation, Possession of Narcotic Drugs, Attempted Robbery, and an Outstanding Felony Warrant for Aggravated Assault.
