PHOENIX, Arizona – Phoenix police shot and killed a suspected robber on Saturday afternoon and arrested his accomplice, according to a police report released on Sunday. The man, identified as 42-year-old Guy Vogel Jr., was killed after police responded to an armed robbery at a pawn shop near 19th Avenue and Indian School Road.
The incident began when police received a call reporting that a man and a woman had stolen multiple handguns from the pawn shop before fleeing the scene. When officers arrived and confronted Vogel, they instructed him to put his gun down and raise his hands, but he refused to comply. In an attempt to neutralize the situation, officers shot a foam projectile at Vogel, but he fled from them. As he tried to enter a truck, Vogel pointed his handgun at the officers, prompting them to shoot and pronounce him dead later at the hospital.
The woman, identified as a 25-year-old accomplice, was also taken into custody and booked into Maricopa County Jail. It was not immediately clear whether she would face charges in connection with Vogel’s death. The police report did not specify the exact nature of her involvement in the robbery.
Sgt. Brian Bower, a spokesperson for the Phoenix Police Department, emphasized the use of less lethal tools to confront dangerous individuals like Vogel in order to change their pattern of behavior. The incident remains under investigation as the police work to determine the full extent of the woman’s involvement and any potential charges she may face.
In accordance with their policy on covering crime, The Arizona Republic/azcentral.com typically refrains from identifying individuals arrested or charged except in the most serious cases. This approach is in place to prioritize sensitivity and fairness in their reporting on crime and legal matters.