Phoenix police released a critical incident briefing Friday that shows body camera footage of a shooting that left two people dead and nine officers injured on Feb. 11.
According to Phoenix police, Morris Jones, 36, ambushed police outside his home, injuring nine officers, and shot and killed his former girlfriend, Shatifah Lobley, 29.
The footage provided by police includes the recording of a 911 call and edited video footage taken at the scene both by witnesses and police body cameras.
Police arrived at a home near 54th Avenue and Elwood Street about 2:15 am after a 911 caller said a woman had been shot by intruders during a robbery.
“It’s a gunshot wound. We got an intruder… They came in here trying to rob me,” a man, later identified by police as Jones, can be heard saying to the 911 operator in the video provided by police.
Police said that upon arrival at the scene, an officer approached Jones, who was standing at the threshold of his doorway. In video previously released by police, Jones appears to tell the officer “she’s choking on her own blood. Come on, bro,” referring to the woman mentioned in the 911 call.
Bodycam footage shows the officer moving closer to the door as Jones pulls a handgun and starts firing at the officer.
After the shooting, the video shows the officer running away from the house to alert other officers of a 999 situation — which means an officer is down or in need of immediate assistance, according to police code.
The edited footage shows a second officer arriving at the scene just as Jones is seen shooting the first officer. The second officer is seen firing his weapon at Jones, striking him once as he went back into the house and closed the door.
In the minutes that followed, multiple officers arrived at the scene to set up a perimeter around the house, police said.
According to police, Jones went outside to a small fenced-in yard and began shooting into the air in the direction of a police helicopter observing the scene. While Jones isn’t visible in the video footage released by police, a helicopter is shown shining its lights on the scene as shots are fired.
Police said Jones later attempted to escape the scene by getting into a vehicle in the garage located at the back side of the house and attempted to escape by ramming the vehicle into a patrol car. He was unsuccessful, police said. Body camera footage shows the garage door open and the patrol car shift as screeching noises can be heard through audio recordings.
At about 2:36 am, per the video’s time stamp, a man identified by police only as Lobley’s brother, is seen emerging from the home with one hand in the air, the other clutching a pink bag and a baby.
Footage captured by a photographer at the scene shows Lobley’s brother setting down the baby in front of the door and following officers’ instructions.
The video shows that as Lobley’s brother is being detained, another group of officers moves toward the front door of the house in an effort to rescue the baby. As they reach the front door, Jones fires his weapon and shoots multiple officers.
“I’m shot,” an officer can be heard saying over body camera footage.
Lobley’s brother and other officers were struck by bullet fragments that ricocheted off the ground. The officers backed away and took cover, police said.
Morris again fired from inside the house and one officer returned fire, police said.
According to police, officers from the Special Assignments Unit arrived at the scene and developed a plan using armored vehicles and ballistic shields to rescue the baby, which occurred about 3:30 am
Bodycam footage shows officers rescuing the baby with no incident.
Negotiators can be seen in videos making multiple attempts to contact Morris through phone calls and text messages.
Police said that gas rounds were launched into the house. When there was no response, officers made their way into the residence and located Jones inside, dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
They also located Shatifah Lobley, also dead from a gunshot wound.
Two weapons, a rifle and a handgun, were located inside the home next to Jones’ body, police said.
According to Sgt. Andy Williams, spokesperson with the Phoenix Police Department, the incident is being investigated internally and criminally, subject to the review of the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.
Reach breaking news reporter Haleigh Kochanski at [email protected] or on Twitter @HaleighKochans.
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