Associated Press
PHOENIX — A man is facing three counts of attempted first-degree murder for driving toward a group of Phoenix police officers outside a gas station, striking two of them, authorities said.
Three officers were injured after Marc LaQuon Payne apparently drove his vehicle at the officers before hitting a patrol car and crashing into the front of the QuikTrip store around 2 a.m. Tuesday.
GRAPHIC: gas station surveillance video of man ramming PHX police officers released pic.twitter.com/RzjhN2niQ5
— Lauren Reimer (@LaurenReimerTV) September 13, 2016
“We are confident that this is an intentional act,” Phoenix Police Chief Joseph Yahner said at an afternoon news conference. “Our officers were targeted. I’m outraged by this incident. This stuff needs to stop.”
Payne, 44, was taken to a hospital in serious condition and is expected to be booked into jail after he’s released, according to police who believe he was driving impaired.
It wasn’t immediately clear if Payne has an attorney yet.
Police released a store surveillance video of the incident. It shows a vehicle backing out of a parking space, circling the parking lot and then accelerating toward the three police officers.
A 41-year-old police sergeant suffered a broken leg, a 36-year-old veteran officer had minor injuries and a 33-year-old officer on his first day of training suffered a head injury.
The video shows the rookie officer thrown several feet in the air and hitting the front windshield of the suspect’s vehicle, police said.
One officer managed to jump out of the way, but was injured during a struggle with Payne following the incident.
The names of the three officers were being withheld by police. All were taken to hospitals for treatment.
Vehicle that mowed down 3 Phx PD officers towed from scene...was one officers first day on the job #azfamily pic.twitter.com/b1xaD4PeIz
— Rick Beaugrand (@rbeaugrand) September 13, 2016
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