By Emily Bittner, The Arizona Republic
A 25-year Phoenix police veteran was shot several times in the upper body and face by his wife during a family quarrel late Monday, authorities said.
Detective Billy Soza, 53, a property crimes investigator from the city’s south side, is in stable condition at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, said Sgt. Randy Force, a spokesman for the department.
Soza was shot after a dispute involving his wife, Pamela, 44, Force said. His 19-year-old daughter was also at the house, in 10900 block of West Roma Avenue during the shooting just before 11 p.m
Pamela has not been taken into custody.
Pamela told officers that she was the shooter, but told them she was defending herself, Force said.
She claimed she was assaulted just before the shooting, he said. She used a handgun that was in the couple’s home but was not Soza’s service weapon.
Someone in the house called 911 and the first officers on the scene found Soza in a bedroom.
He spoke to patrol officers and a detective was assigned to interview him during the night, Force said.
Force did not know what Soza said.
Soza is a former member of the department’s SWAT-like Special Assignments Unit and has recently worked fraud cases involving elderly victims.