Body cam shows Arizona DPS shooting through his windshield during shootout with armed suspect

The Arizona Department of Public Safety released a dramatic video on Friday of a shootout between a man armed with an automatic gun and a detective, nearly two weeks after the shooter was found guilty in the 2022 incident. The shooting involved Juan Manuel Rodriguez from Lake Havasu, who was found guilty on July 19 on 11 charges, including attempted first-degree murder and aggravated assault on law enforcement.

On April 1, 2022, Detective Shed tried to pull over Rodriguez in Kingman after he didn’t stop at a stop sign. He kept driving, so Shed chased him. During the pursuit, Rodriguez tried to ram the DPS car. Rodriguez later lost control of his car and the two collided. “Contact with him,” Detective Shed told the dispatcher. “Send me other units.” He got out of the car and pulled out his handgun and aimed it at Rodriguez. “Put your (expletive) hands up!” yelled Shed. “Put your hands up!”

Rodriguez put his car in reverse and started shooting at the detective with an automatic weapon. The gunshots are heard in the body-camera video. Detective Shed is in his car when he returns fire, unloading the clip with some bullets going through his windshield. “Shots fired!” he yelled. Rodriguez drives off and Shed follows him. The detective reloads his gun while driving. Seconds later, more gunshots were heard and Shed was hit. “I’m hit!” he yelled. “Zebra 215 shot in the back.” The body-camera video then ends.

DPS said the two separated, with Detective Shed going to a safe area and getting medical attention. A Mohave County Sheriff’s deputy took him to the hospital. He was treated and released. Detective Shed has since returned to the job.

Rodriguez was also hit during the gun battle and drove to a desert area where his car broke down. He got out and put a bag in a wash. The video released on Friday included aerial video from the DPS helicopter, showing him walking out of the wash and toward a nearby Mohave County Community College campus. He collapsed before getting anywhere near the buildings. The aerial video shows him on his back with his arms and legs spread before law enforcement moved it. He was taken to the hospital before being booked into jail.

DPS said he had more than $34,000 in cash, more than 11 grams of fentanyl, and 10 grams of methamphetamine in the discarded bag. They also found more guns, cash and drug ledgers linked to Rodriguez.