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Sgt. Found Slain After Dispatchers Fail to Reach Him

PHOENIX – The body of a Phoenix police sergeant who was shot and killed was discovered near the State Capitol late Monday night.

Phoenix police had become concerned about the sergeant when he didn’t respond to radio calls. Officers searched for the sergeant starting around 10 p.m. Monday.

Less than an hour after the search began, Capitol Police found what they thought was an abandoned police cruiser near 17th Avenue and Jefferson Street. The sergeant’s body was nearby.

Investigators are searching the scene looking for any clues as to what happened. The sergeant’s identity has not been released. Police are notifying his family.

Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon canceled an event this morning and released this statement, "My heart and my prayers are with our fallen police sergeant, his family and our Police Department.

“Rest assured, the City of Phoenix will commit every resource necessary and do everything in our power to find the killer or killers, capture them and bring them to justice.”

The area around the scene was closed to traffic for several hours, but later reopened for traffic. The only current restriction is Jackson Street from 19th Avenue to 17th Avenue and Buchanan Street from 19th Avenue to 17th Avenue.

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