Santan, Arizona – A tragic shooting incident in the Gila River Indian Community left two people dead, including an officer and a civilian, with several others wounded. The Gila River Police Department responded to a disturbance at a home in Santan, resulting in multiple gunshots being fired in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Among the casualties was Officer Joshua Briese, who tragically succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. Briese, a recent addition to the force still undergoing field training, was one of six individuals shot during the incident. Additionally, a civilian who was shot at the scene was also pronounced dead.
Another officer was struck during the shooting and is currently in serious but stable condition at the hospital, while the three remaining civilians who were shot are recovering. The investigation, now being assisted by the FBI, is still ongoing with no suspects named or arrests made as of Saturday evening.
Tragically, this loss is not the first for the Briese family, as Officer Briese’s father also died in the line of duty in a car crash in 2006. In response to the tragedy, Gale River Indian Community Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis expressed his condolences to the victims and their families, highlighting the community’s grief over the violent incident.
Lewis emphasized the community’s sorrow for the fallen and injured officers and all those affected by the violence. He called for prayers for the officers, their families, and the entire community impacted by the morning’s events.
As the community grapples with the tragedy, the Gila River Police Department and their partners continue to investigate the shooting, aiming to bring justice and closure to those affected by the senseless violence.