By John Boch via TTAG and republished with permission
Some people just don’t have the Christmas spirit. Others can get downright surly – or homicidal during the holidays. Just such a thing happened early on Christmas day as Phoenix cops say a man tried to run over his girlfriend and some others with his SUV. He even returned for a second round, but a Phoenix officer shot him repeatedly to end the threat.
Phoenix PD released the bodycam video from the incident, including the 911 call. Then the action cuts to the officers walking towards the house where the attack occurred only to see the (allegedly) intoxicated aggressor return.
Early on, it looks like there’s door doorbell cam video that shows what appears to be a homeowner holding a pistol at his side. That’s not a bad plan against a homicidal attacker behind the wheel of a vehicle. However, standing around outside doesn’t seem like the most prudent course of action in that circumstance.
AZCentral picked up the story when more details became available.
A 25-year-old man was released from the hospital and booked into jail on suspicion of several charges after a Christmas Day incident in which he was shot by a Phoenix police officer, officials said Tuesday.
The incident happened just after 1 a.m. Friday when police officers responded to reports of aggravated assault and domestic violence at a home near 51st Avenue and Osborn Road.
The caller reported that the suspect, identified on Tuesday as 25-year-old Samuel Vasquez, tried to run over the victim with his vehicle. Vasquez rammed a parked van and then fled in his vehicle prior to police arrival, Phoenix police spokesman Sgt. Andy Williams said.
As officers walked toward the residence, they saw Vasquez’s vehicle drive over the curb and toward people gathered in the front yard, Williams said.
In the end, Mr. Vasquez should count himself as a very lucky man. Lucky he didn’t end up dead on Christmas.