PHOENIX — Officer Aldo Nunez says he’s grateful to be alive and able to tell his story after a dangerous shooting and standoff that erupted in a Phoenix neighborhood early Friday.
Nunez says he was in the second volley of gunfire when he was injured by hot shrapnel during a gunfight with the suspect amid the chaotic scene.
“Definitely a lot of adrenaline," Nunez said. "I can’t speak for my fellow officers, but I know that they probably feel the same as me. We wanted to continue the mission, and we were there to help the community. We were there to help the citizens ensure that we could put an end to the gunfire that was threatening them."
Nunez was one of nine police officers who were either shot or injured by shrapnel as they responded to the hours-long standoff.
“After you hear gunshots, you feel some pain in your leg and it’s just kind of hot,” Nunez said of his injury. “That’s kind of what it felt like, and you know the first thing you feel after you hear gunfire is, 'Oh, I got shot!'”
Even after sustaining injuries, Nunez stayed on scene to help his fellow officers.
“We continued, we got the brother into custody. We walked him back to my patrol car and then I kind of checked myself and made sure that I was OK. I'd seen it was just a little bit of shrapnel and that’s pretty much it and continued on from there,” Nunez said.
He and the other officers were praised by Chief Jeri Williams, who lauded their heroism and selflessness in remaining at the scene despite a continued threat from the suspect, later identified as Morris Richard Jones III.
The brother involved was not arrested, and not involved in the shooting, it was determined later during the investigation.
Police say Jones ambushed the Phoenix police officers as they responded to a call of a woman shot at the home. Officials say Jones killed former girlfriend, 29 -year-old Shatifa Lobely before taking his own life.
