News Tempe officers shoot, kill 2 suspects, police say

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A second suspect shot by police Wednesday afternoon in south Tempe has died, authorities said.

The man had been driving a vehicle with a fugitive in the passenger seat before being shot by police near Baseline Road and 48th Street, authorities said. The man who police say was wanted on various felony counts died at the scene. The driver died at a hospital.

Police say they tracked down the fugitive but was unable to take him into custody on Tuesday. So U.S. Marshals put together a fugitive task force to arrest him on Wednesday, according to Lt. Scott Smith of Tempe police.

The Tempe, Mesa, and Chandler police departments all took part in trying to arrest the suspect, who authorities said was wanted for a probation violation and had shown violent tendencies in the past.

At about 3 p.m. Wednesday, the task force was attempting to trap the fugitive by blocking him into an intersection, Smith said.

The fugitive appeared to be holding a gun, Smith said, adding that it wasn't clear who fired the first shot.

No officers were injured in the shooting near Baseline Road and 48th Street. Tempe officials expected Baseline Road to be closed in the area through the evening rush hour.

It happened near the University of Advanced Technology, where students heard the gunshots and ran outside, Nick Friancia said.

"It was just crazy," said Friancia, a student at the school. "I head four to five gunshots, I felt like there was a firefight."

Tempe officers shoot, kill 2 suspects, police say