Phoenix police shooting: Officials identify woman killed in ‘ambush’
Saturday marked the second day of an investigation into a Friday morning incident that left two people dead and nine Phoenix Police Department officers injured.
Police on Friday afternoon identified 36-year-old Morris Jones as the suspect who they say fatally shot his former girlfriend before injuring officers at the scene near 51st Avenue and Broadway Road.
The woman was identified on Saturday afternoon as 29-year-old Shatifah Lobley.
As of Saturday morning, it wasn’t clear what led to the shooting. Police have not identified the wounded officers.
Officials have described the case as “incredibly complex,” adding that information is subject to change as the investigation continues.
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Sgt. Andy Williams, a Phoenix police spokesperson, said the injuries to the nine officers could possibly be the most to occur in a single incident at the department.
Williams said in a Friday evening news release that Phoenix police responded to the home at about 2:15 a.m. after a 911 caller reported that a woman had been shot by an intruder and that there were “multiple armed suspects” inside.
Williams said Jones appeared in the doorway, invited the first arriving officer inside and then “ambushed” him as he approached, shooting him several times with a handgun. The officer was able to escape and find cover.
A second officer on scene returned fire, prompting Jones to go back inside. As police staged outside the residence, Jones fired more shots in their direction, Williams said.
Jones got into a vehicle parked in the garage and tried to leave by ramming a patrol car blocking his escape, Williams said, adding that the attempt to flee was unsuccessful and Jones went back inside.
Another man from inside the home came out holding a baby girl in one arm with his other arm raised in the air, Williams said. He followed police orders to place the baby on the ground and walk backward toward them before being detained.
Police on Saturday said the man is believed to be Lobley’s brother and confirmed that the 1-month-old baby is a shared child between Jones and Lobley.
As police attempted to take the baby to safety, four officers were shot, Williams said. Another four were injured by bullet shrapnel.
The officers backed away and took cover. Jones continued firing shots toward police and an officer returned fire, Williams said.
A SWAT team arrived at the scene and used ballistic shields to rescue the baby, who was uninjured, Williams said. Jones fired shots in their direction, police said.
SWAT officers unsuccessfully tried to get Jones to come outside and eventually used a camera to look inside the home, at which point they saw Jones not moving, Williams said. Officers entered the home and found Jones dead and Lobley critically injured. She was taken to a hospital where she died of her injuries on Friday afternoon.
Williams said the Arizona Department of Child Safety took custody of the baby girl.
Three officers remained in the hospital as of Saturday afternoon, while the others were treated and released. Police on Saturday said the hospitalized officers were “in good spirits.”
Mayor Kate Gallego, Chief Jeri Williams and other city leaders condemned the incident as a “senseless act of violence” and commended officers during a Friday news conference.
Gallego also praised the officers for the innocent life they saved.
“I’m incredibly proud of our Phoenix Police Department. These officers chose to run into harm’s way. A baby is safe today because of our Phoenix police officers,” Gallego said.
Reach breaking news reporter BrieAnna J. Frank at bfrank@arizonarepublic.com or on Twitter @brieannafrank.
Reach breaking news reporter Perry Vandell at perry.vandell@gannett.com or on Twitter @PerryVandell.
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