Court Security Officer Shot In Drive-By At Federal Courthouse

Phoenix, AZ – Police have arrested a man they believe was responsible for a drive-by shooting in front of the federal courthouse in Phoenix on Tuesday morning.

The incident occurred at about 11:30 a.m. on Sept. 15 in front of the Sandra Day O’Connor U.S. Courthouse on the corner of Washington Street and Fourth Avenue, KTAR reported.

Authorities said a federal court security officer under contract to the U.S. Marshals Service was shot.

“One person has been transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries,” Phoenix Police Sergeant Ann Justus said, according to the Phoenix Patch.

#BREAKING: A suspect drove up to the Federal Courthouse in Phoenix and sprayed approximately 20-ish rounds, striking 1 officers

— FJ News Reporter (@FJNewsReporter) September 15, 2020

Law enforcement officials told the Associated Press that the officer was struck in their ballistic vest.

Phoenix City Councilman Sal DiCiccio tweeted that the officer returned fire at the fleeing vehicle and expressed shock at what had happened.

BREAKING: FEDERAL OFFICER SHOT IN DRIVE BY IN DOWNTOWN PHX

If you didn’t think it could happen here, it just did. A federal officer was just shot in front of the Sandra Day O’Connor federal building in a drive by attack.

— Sal DiCiccio (@Sal_DiCiccio) September 15, 2020

“Make no mistake, this is a direct result of the extremist anti-police attacks we have seen from BLM and Antifa across the country,” DiCiccio tweeted. “This insanity needs to stop.”

Police released pictures of the suspect’s vehicle and announced an arrest had been made in the case shortly after 2 p.m., the Phoenix Patch reported.

Update in shooting of federal officer at Phoenix's Sandra Day O'Connor Courthouse. https://t.co/PpW5uhwFUZ

— Kari Lake (@KariLakeFox10) September 15, 2020

UPDATE: Suspect in connection to this morning’s shooting outside 401 W. Washington, near the Federal Courthouse, is in custody. https://t.co/p0tZraVpaX

— Phoenix Police (@PhoenixPolice) September 15, 2020

Phoenix police announced the investigation has been turned over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).