Bodycam video: Shootout erupts between Arizona trooper, suspect Juan Rodriguez.
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A new video released by the Arizona Dept. of Public Safety showed a pursuit and shootout in Kingman last year that left a trooper and the suspect injured.
The scene unfolded in April 2022 when law enforcement attempted to pull over Juan Rodriguez for running a stop sign in his BMW.
“During the pursuit, Rodriguez attempted to ram the detective’s vehicle,” read a statement from the Arizona Dept. of Public Safety. “Rodriguez later lost control, and the detective collided with the front of his vehicle. The detective drew his duty pistol and initiated a high-risk traffic stop.”
Body camera footage showed what happened during the confrontation. The trooper could be seen pointing a gun at the suspect’s vehicle, demanding he come out with his hands up.
Kingman, Arizona — On Wednesday, July 19, 2023, following an investigation conducted by the AZDPS Major Incident Division (MID), a jury found the suspect from an April 2022 trooper-involved shooting guilty on eleven charges, including attempted first-degree murder and aggravated assault on law enforcement.
The incident occurred on April 1, 2022, when Public Safety Detective Donald Shed attempted to pull over the driver of a BMW sedan in Kingman after he failed stop at a stop sign. The suspect driver, later identified as 48-year-old Juan Manuel Rodriguez, did not yield and a pursuit ensued. During the pursuit, Rodriguez attempted to ram Shed’s vehicle. Rodriguez later lost control and Shed collided with the front of his vehicle. Shed drew his duty pistol and initiated a high-risk traffic stop. Rodriguez did not obey commands and began reaching under the dash.
The BMW began to reverse and Shed, fearing he would be rammed again, sat back in his patrol vehicle. Rodriguez began shooting at Shed with a full-automatic weapon, as heard on the body worn camera footage. Shed returned fire and attempted to flee from the area for his safety.
Rodriguez’s vehicle struck Shed’s vehicle as he fled. Rodriguez got behind Shed as he fled and began shooting at the rear of the police vehicle. Shed returned fire through his back window. During the exchange, Shed was struck in the back by a round fired from the pursuing BMW. The two vehicles eventually separated, and Shed was able to get to a safe location to seek medical attention. Shed was transported from the scene by a Mohave County Deputy to a local hospital where he was treated and released for his injury.
Rodriguez, who was also wounded in the gun battle, drove to a desert area nearby where the BMW became disabled. An AZDPS Ranger helicopter crew was tracking Rodriguez and observed him place a bag in a wash before walking towards the nearby Mohave County Community College campus, where he collapsed prior to reaching the school buildings. Rodriguez was detained without further incident and transported to a hospital for treatment before being booked into jail.
The bag Rodriguez attempted to conceal in the desert was recovered and found to contain $34,504 in cash, over 11 grams of fentanyl, and 10 grams methamphetamine. Additionally, five firearms, including a full-automatic handgun and Uzi were recovered, as well as multiple drug ledgers and additional cash.