Phoenix Police Chief: Cops Were Victims of an 'Unprovoked, Violent Attack'
Three law enforcement officers in Phoenix are recovering after being targeted in a vehicular attack.
Security video captured the incident, which happened around 2 a.m. Tuesday.
Two of the police officers were hit by a car while standing in the parking lot of a convenience store. The third officer managed to jump out of the way in the nick of time.
"The officers all tried to run away and it looks like one just missed being squished between the police car and the suspect's car," NBC 12 News quoted Phoenix police Sgt. Jonathan Howard.
"It looks like one of them was actually run over by the car and then the third officer was propelled as high as the car before he came to rest," he said.
Phoenix's police chief, Joe Yahner, said the incident was no accident.
"They were victims of an unprovoked, violent, intentional attack," Yahner said at a Tuesday news conference. "These officers could have easily been killed, and I thank God we're not planning three funerals right now."
The driver, 44-year-old Marc LaQuon Payne, has been arrested and will face three charges of attempted first degree murder as well as two counts of aggravated assault.
