Phoenix Police Officer Shot and Killed

Curious how the authorities are not identifying the suspect, but let's say this much: There will be a sh-tstorm if an illegal alien did this. Obviously whoever did this deserves swift justice and the death penalty regardless, but if it turns out to be an illegal there are alot of people with blood on their hands.

A police officer was killed in an early morning in shooting in Phoenix Wednesday, and investigators said they do have a suspect in custody.

It happened at about 1 a.m. near a gas station and convenience store in the area of 19th and Fairmount avenues, south of Indian School Road.

It all started with reports of a suspicious vehicle driving with its lights off in the neighborhood. Somebody reportedly was trying to hide a Mustang in a carport or garage.

Details of what led up to the shooting were not immediately available, but the shots were fired as officers searched for that Mustang.

Other officers who were on the scene didn't wait for paramedics. They grabbed their wounded colleague and rushed him in a patrol car to St. Joseph's Hospital where he later died.

A witness who did not want to go on-camera said she heard what sounded like a car wreck not long before the shots rang out.

Aerial video showed detectives looking at the Mustang, which seems to be central to the investigation. The car had been partially covered with a tarp. When cover was removed, obvious front-end damage was clearly visible.

Video from the scene near the convenience store showed a trio of detectives with a gun in an evidence bag. It's not known if that gun belonged to the suspect or the officer.

In the course of the incident, the residents of several nearby homes were evacuated while police searched for a suspect, who was eventually found hiding in a shed.

Officers were still searching the area and collecting evidence hours after the shooting.

At this point, the Phoenix Police Department is not releasing any information about the officer who was killed or about the suspect in their custody. All Sgt. Trent Crump has said is that the officer was stationed at the Squaw Peak Precinct.

Here's a still shot of the suspect being led away:

Update: Suspect is from the Tucson area and has prior convictions.

Phoenix Public Safety Manager Jack Harris canceled a meeting in Washington, D.C., with U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder about immigration issues and planned to return to the Valley Wednesday. Central City Precinct has suffered several line of duty deaths in the past several years, according to the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association.

PLEA President Mark Spencer said the officer suffered heavy blood loss after the shooting from at least one gunshot wound.

Spencer said the suspect was a man in his early 30s from the Tucson area who had prior felony convictions.

Obviously he wasn't rehabilitated.

Update: The suspect is Hispanic, but police still won't identify him or whether he's legal.

The Hispanic suspect, who Crump said is in the country legally, was reportedly found hiding in a shed in a backyard and was taken into custody. A weapon was also recovered at the scene.

That suspect sustained injuries from a K9 bite and a rubber bullet, according to Crump.

Crump said there are no outstanding suspects at this time, but anyone with information is asked to contact police.

Spencer believes the suspect is from the Tucson area and has a criminal history.

His identity has not been released.