A shopper assisted an officer engaged with a thief who was reaching for the officer's gun earlier this month.
Phoenix Police report that on December 12, a man later identified as 26-year-old Everett Garland Hetzel was seen on video surveillance hiding items as he shopped.
Hetzel reportedly took drone replacement blades and a battery charger from a Walmart store near I-17 and Dunlap Avenue.
After walking out of the store, Hetzel was confronted by a uniformed Phoenix Police officer. The officer grabbed Hetzel to detain him when he ran back inside the store.
Police say he fell near a register and the officer got on top of him to arrest him. The two struggled for several minutes when Hetzel gained the upper hand by flipping the officer over and getting on top.
Police say he then attempted to grab the officer’s gun. That’s when a civilian shopper stepped in, pulling Hetzel off the officer, holding him down until he could be taken into custody.
Hetzel was found to have a felony warrant out of Yavapai County for burglary and resisting arrest.
He has now also been charged with theft, resisting arrest and aggravated assault.
