A police officer and a civilian were critically shot on Thursday during an armed robbery and subsequent high-speed chase with police that resulted in a crash, the Associated Press reported.
Two men were arrested after nearly $18,000 was stolen from two employees of a strip club in east Phoenix.
The civilian who was shot is reportedly a volunteer for the Maricopa County Sheriff's office. Neither his, nor the officer's, identities have been publicized, but law enforcement did tell the Associated Press that the officer is 34 years old, and the citizen is 63.
26-year-old Phoenix resident Roger Allen Sharp, Jr. and David Lee Murray, 36, of Tempe, were arrested following the burglary. Sharp was held on suspicion of attempted murder, unlawful fight, resisting arrest and illegal possession of a weapon. Murray was taken into custody with charges for armed robbery.
According to AP, records indicated that Sharp had already been charged with two counts of criminal possession of a forgery device in an unrelated case. Additionally, his license to own a firearm had expired.
A Phoenix judge set bail for each of the suspects at $500,000. They'll soon be given lawyers for their case, AP reported.
Police stated that Sharp and Murray allegedly robbed two workers at the Pink Rhino Cabaret on their way out of the cocktail bar at about 2 p.m., Tuesday. The men reportedly held the employees at gunpoint, then stole $18,000.
The duo accused of robbing the employees then jumped into a getaway vehicle and drove off. But when a police officer saw the car and tried to stop it, the suspects slammed into a truck idling at an intersection. Police said Murray tried to run off while an officer put cuffs on Sharp at gunpoint. Sharp managed to grab hold of the firearm, shot the officer and civilian, then fled.
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