CRIME

Officer shoots inmate who fled from Arizona hospital transport, struggled with another officer

Associated Press
Published | Updated

A shot-out windshield in a transport van is at the scene of an officer involved shooting, Tuesday, Oct, 28, 2014 in Phoenix. A sheriff’s detention officer shot and wounded a jail inmate who was struggling with another officer after he slipped out of restraints and ran away while being taken to a hospital in Phoenix, authorities said Tuesday. The inmate remains hospitalized. (AP Photo/Matt York) (The Associated Press)

A van with multiple bullet holes and a prisoner uniform lying on the ground is shown at the scene of an officer involved shooting, Tuesday, Oct, 28, 2014 in Phoenix. A sheriff’s detention officer shot and wounded a jail inmate who was struggling with another officer after he slipped out of restraints and ran away while being taken to a hospital in Phoenix, authorities said Tuesday. The inmate remains hospitalized. (AP Photo/Matt York) (The Associated Press)

A van with multiple bullet holes is shown at the scene of an officer involved shooting, Tuesday, Oct, 28, 2014 in Phoenix. A sheriff’s detention officer shot and wounded a jail inmate who was struggling with another officer after he slipped out of restraints and ran away while being taken to a hospital in Phoenix, authorities said Tuesday. The inmate remains hospitalized. (AP Photo/Matt York) (The Associated Press)

A sheriff's detention officer in Phoenix shot a jail inmate multiple times after he slipped out of restraints and fled while being taken to a hospital.

The inmate is hospitalized in critical condition. A Maricopa County sheriff's spokesman says the officer shot him Tuesday morning after responding to a radio call for help from another officer who was struggling with the inmate. That officer had chased him in a prisoner transport van.

The spokesman says the inmate ran from the hospital after somehow unfastening handcuffs and leg restraints.

He and two other prisoners were being unloaded from the van after being taken to the county hospital.

The shooting occurred on a street near the hospital, and news video showed a parked black van with bullet holes in its windshield.