Tempe police identify suspect in officer-involved shooting

A 30-year-old, man who was shot by Tempe officers when authorities said he rammed his car into a police vehicle, has been arrested and faces aggravated assault charges, officials said Friday night.

The shooting occurred just before midnight June 20 while Tempe officers were on the department’s street racing enforcement detail, Operation Street Sweep, near Mill Avenue and Rio Salado Parkway.

At about 11:30 p.m., they spotted a 2019 Dodge Challenger “driving dangerously, traveling at high rates of speed, running red lights and committing other dangerous traffic violations," according to a Tempe Police Department release.

The two-door car was seen again about 11:45 p.m. heading south at 100 S. Mill Ave. The suspect, later identified as Azeez Olaniyan, 30, drove into a parking garage where a gate restricted access.

“At this point, the suspect placed his vehicle in reverse and rammed into the Tempe police vehicle, and two officers fired their City of Tempe department-issued firearms at the suspect," the release stated.

The suspect put the car in drive, rammed into the gate and entered the garage, police said. Officers created a perimeter around the garage.

They found the car and, a short time later they arrested the Olaniyan, who had sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the shooting, according to the release.

No officers were injured, and there are no other suspects, police said.

Olaniyan faces two counts of aggravated assault and one count of felony criminal damage.

According to Tempe police policy, both officers involved in the shooting were placed on post critical incident leave pending an investigation.

As of June 24, the investigation is still ongoing, according to Tempe Police Department.

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