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A young police officer in Arizona was killed by a gunman after responding to a “disturbance” call early Saturday morning, officials say.
Gila River Police Department (GRPD) officer Joshua Briese died from his wounds on Saturday, according to a Facebook post published by the department. Briese, who worked for the GRPD for less than a year, was still undergoing field training when he was killed.
According to the GRPD, another officer was wounded in the shooting and transported to a hospital in serious but stable condition. The shooting took place at around 2 a.m. at a house in Santan, District 4 of the Gila River Indian Community.
“As the responding officers worked to address the disturbance, which involved a large crowd, multiple gunshots were fired,” police said. “Two GRPD officers were struck by gunfire, as were four individuals at the scene.”
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Gila River Police Department (GRPD) officer Joshua Briese died after responding to an incident in Gila River Indian Community. (Google Maps / Gila River Police Department)
“Our hearts and prayers are with these police officers, their families, and everyone impacted by this tragic incident,” the statement added.
The GRPD is headquartered in Sacaton, which is the capital of the Gila River Indian Community. Later on Saturday, Gila River Indian Community Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis issued a statement in response to the shooting.
“I know I speak for our entire community when I say that we grieve for our fallen and injured police officers and every community member touched by such tragic violence,” Lewis’s statement read. “Nothing cuts deeper than a life cut short.”
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Gila River Police Department is actively investigating the incident. (Gila River Police Department via Facebook)
“We will pray for our officers and their families, and for every community member, every loved one, and every family impacted by what happened this morning,” he added. “As we await further facts, our focus will be on finding a path to healing from this tragic incident.”
The GRPD is actively investigating the incident. A spokesperson for the FBI field office in Phoenix confirmed to Fox News Digital that it is assisting the GRPD with its investigation.
Joshua Briese was still undergoing field training when he responded to the fatal incident. (Gila River Police Department )
Fox News Digital reached out to GRPD for more information but did not immediately hear back.
Andrea Vacchiano is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. You can follow her on X at @andrea_vacch or send story tips to andrea.vacchiano@fox.com.
