PHOENIX — A police officer is recovering after he was stabbed while responding to a call in north Phoenix early Sunday morning.
Phoenix police say they were called to a gas station in the area of 19th Avenue and Bell Road for a report of trespassing.
As the first officer on scene was escorting the man out of the gas station, he pulled out a knife and started attacking the officer.
Police say employees of the store rushed in to the officer's aide and fought the suspect. They were able to subdue him until other officers arrived and took the man into custody.
The injured officer, who has not been identified, was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. Those injuries are not believed to be life-threatening, however.
The employees who assisted the officer were treated for minor injuries on the scene.
Police say 33-year-old John Liddell Jr., was taken to the hospital for unrelated medical issues. He faces multiple felony charges.
He was booked into jail after his release from the hospital.
"I am so grateful that our officer injured last night is stable and recovering in the hospital. This is the second Phoenix officer who has been violently attacked in a week. I refuse to let this become the norm. It is unacceptable and the community should be outraged," said Interim Phoenix Police Chief Michael Sullivan.
This is the second weekend in a row that a Phoenix police officer has been hurt.
Last weekend, an off-duty officer was shot four times when he tried to intervene in an armed robbery in progress.
He has since been released from the hospital, and three people have been arrested in connection to that shooting.
