DPS officer involved in shooting near I-17 in Phoenix

An Arizona Department of Public Safety officer was involved in a shooting Wednesday night near the Grant Street exit of Interstate 17 in Phoenix.

The shooting occurred around 7:40 p.m. after the officer attempted to stop a white Dodge Challenger traveling on Interstate 10 near I-17, according to DPS. The Challenger then continued onto I-17 and exited at Grant Street, hitting a concrete divider, which stopped the car.

The suspect, who officials later identified as Douglas L. Clifton, 37, exited the vehicle and began running away, DPS said. Clifton shot at the officer who attempted to stop the Challenger he drove, and the officer returned fire, officials said.

Additionally, Clifton also shot at two other DPS officers in the area, the department said. One officer sustained minor injuries, although DPS did not specify whether the injury was a gunshot wound.

DPS and SWAT took Clifton into custody near 22nd Avenue and Hadley Street, according to DPS. Clifton was treated at a hospital for treatment of injuries that were not life-threatening, officials said. It is unclear whether those injuries were related to the gunfire.

Clifton was charged with three counts of attempted first-degree murder, three counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and he has been booked into the Maricopa County Jail, according to DPS.

Reach breaking news reporter Sam Burdette at sburdette@gannett.com or on Twitter @SuperSafetySam

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: DPS officer involved in shooting near I-17 in Phoenix