Police in Arizona shoot man with machete after he rams police car, seriously injuring officer

Police in suburban Phoenix shot a machete-wielding man Thursday after chasing him in a stolen truck he rammed into a police patrol car, injuring an officer.

Avondale police Sgt. Brandon Busse said the officer was listed in stable condition and was improving at a hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The name of the officer wasn't immediately released and Busse said the identity of the suspect and his condition wasn't immediately available.

Witnesses said the suspect was shot multiple times and helicopter news video showed him falling to the ground before he was taken to a trauma center.

Busse said the spree started when a man assaulted a city maintenance worker on the side of a roadway and stole his city truck about 9 a.m. The man took the truck on a joyride as police pursued before officers got a helicopter to track the stolen vehicle and backed off, authorities said.

Police began a pursuit and used tire-puncturing devices and the chase ended with the truck ramming the police car.

Officers confronted the suspect, who refused their commands and advanced toward them with a machete and pocket knife and was shot, according to Busse.

Avondale Fire Department crews extricated the police officer from his vehicle and he was airlifted to a Phoenix hospital.