Tempe police identify suspect in police-involved shooting

INDEPENDENT NEWS MEDIA

A 30-year-old man who was shot by Tempe police officers when authorities say he drove his car into a police vehicle has been arrested and faces aggravated assault charges, officials said Friday evening.

The shooting occurred shortly before midnight on June 20 as Tempe officers were deployed near Mill Avenue and Rio Salado Parkway as part of Operation Street Sweep, a special police unit designed to monitor street racing.

At around 11:30 p.m., they spotted a 2019 Dodge Challenger “driving dangerously, traveling at high speeds, running red lights and committing other dangerous traffic violations,” according to a Tempe police press release.

The two-door vehicle was seen again heading south at 100 S. Mill Ave. around 11:45 p.m. The suspect, later identified as Azeez Olaniyan, 30, drove into a parking garage where a gate blocked access.

“At this point, the suspect put the vehicle in reverse and rammed the Tempe Police vehicle. Two officers fired their Tempe Police Department-issued firearms at the suspect,” the press release said.

The suspect put the vehicle in drive, crashed into the gate and entered the garage, police said. Officers set up a perimeter around the garage.

They found the car and shortly afterwards arrested Olaniyan, who suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the shooting, the press release said.

According to police, none of the officers were injured and there are no other suspects.

Olaniyan faces two counts of grievous bodily harm and one count of criminal damage.

Per Tempe Police policy, both officers involved in the shooting were placed on post-critical forward leave pending the completion of the investigation.

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