Safford Police Handle 232 Incidents, Investigate Reported Shooting
The Safford Police Department handled 232 reported incidents between 6 a.m. Sept. 9 and 6 a.m. Sept. 14, according to the department’s latest Law Incident Media Summary Report. The five-day report includes traffic stops, school patrols, DUI investigations, domestic disturbances, thefts, welfare checks, suspicious-person calls, fraud reports and other incidents.
The most serious incident occurred late Sunday night, Sept. 13, when police investigated a report of a vehicle shooting at another vehicle in the area of South 20th Avenue and West Golf Course Road. According to the report, the caller said a white Chevrolet Malibu was following him and firing a pistol. The pursuit reportedly continued toward the Walmart area before both vehicles traveled south on 20th Avenue. The reporting party eventually stopped in an alley behind the Daily Stop. Police continued investigating the incident, and another report of possible gunshots was received in the area of South 20th Avenue and Relation Street early Monday morning. The report does not indicate that anyone was struck by gunfire.
Earlier Sunday, officers investigated a fire involving a bicycle at a residence on South Seventh Avenue. The report indicates the bicycle was on fire in front of the home, prompting the dispatch of emergency personnel.
Police also responded to a report of four juveniles allegedly shoplifting from a local store Sunday afternoon. The juveniles were reportedly located in the housewares/seasonal section, with descriptions provided to officers. Two of the juveniles were reportedly detained.
A separate fraud investigation Sunday involved a customer who allegedly paid with a counterfeit $100 bill. The suspect had already left the business before officers were contacted.
The department also investigated a missing-person report Sept. 11. A woman reported that her boyfriend had been missing for approximately a week and provided officers with information about where he was last believed to have been seen. The report indicates officers had previously made contact with the man at Walmart on Sept. 3.
Several domestic and interpersonal disputes were reported during the period. On Sept. 10, officers responded to a domestic-violence call after a report that a man and woman were fighting and that one person may have been shoved into a wall. The caller also reported loud music and uncertainty about whether alcohol or drugs were involved.
Another disturbance Sept. 12 involved a man reportedly threatening to beat a person, destroying the person’s tent and making a sexual threat. Officers responded to the campground area while the man was reportedly still present.
DUI investigations were also recorded on several occasions. A traffic stop early Sept. 10 was changed to DUI, followed by a blood draw. Another DUI investigation occurred early Sept. 11, while two separate traffic stops were changed to DUI investigations within approximately 15 minutes of one another during the early morning hours of Sept. 12. A fourth DUI investigation was reported early Sept. 13.
The report also includes a burglary investigation Sept. 9 after a resident returned home to find that his apartment had been broken into. The resident identified occupants of another apartment as possible suspects and later told officers he believed they had stolen his Xbox. Officers subsequently dealt with concerns that the victim might confront the suspected individuals.
A dog-bite incident was also reported Sept. 9, while another call involved a resident reporting that an individual had placed a tent in the back of his property and was refusing to leave.
Traffic-related calls accounted for a substantial portion of the report. Among them was a Sept. 10 collision involving a Dodge Ram and Kia Forte, another crash in which a vehicle pulled down utility lines and left a telephone pole in danger of falling into the roadway, and a Sept. 11 collision involving a Ford F-150 and Nissan Altima.
Medical and welfare calls were also frequent. One welfare check involved a woman who had not responded to repeated “RUOK” calls. Another involved a person whose family had reportedly been unable to make contact with her for approximately three months. Officers also responded to medical emergencies involving falls and breathing difficulties.
The report concludes with a suspicious-person investigation shortly after 2:37 a.m. Sept. 14. Security personnel at a local hospital reported hearing what they believed were multiple gunshots and requested officers to investigate.
The 232-incident report covers activity from 6 a.m. Sept. 9 through 6 a.m. Sept. 14 and includes all Safford Police Department officers, dispositions and incident types recorded during that period.
