Bodycam video circulating online shows the shocking moment a combative Arizona woman, already in handcuffs, snatched a detective’s duty weapon and fired, wounding the officer during what should have been a routine booking.
On the morning of September 7, 2021, Mohave County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the Maverick Country Store on Highway 68 in Golden Valley after reports of an erratic woman walking around inside with a gun in her hand.
Deputies located 51-year-old Brenda Kay Thomas of Golden Valley. Authorities said she was uncooperative and combative. Officers took her into custody on charges of disorderly conduct with a weapon and resisting arrest.
What happened next has left many viewers stunned.
As a Mohave County detective escorted the handcuffed Thomas outside the store, she somehow managed to grab his holstered service weapon. When the detective tried to stop her, she pulled the trigger and shot him in the hand, causing a non-life-threatening injury that included partial amputation of his pinkie finger, according to reports.
A second deputy on scene immediately deployed a Taser, subduing Thomas. She was not injured in the incident.
The wounded detective was treated at a local hospital. Thomas, who police said continued to struggle even after being tased, faced additional charges including attempted second-degree homicide.
She later pleaded guilty to aggravated assault. Other charges were dropped. A judge sentenced her to 10 years in prison.
The bodycam footage, which captures the chaotic scene from multiple angles including the initial contact inside the store and the shooting outside, has recently resurfaced and gained significant attention online. The video underscores the unpredictable dangers law enforcement officers face every day, even when a suspect is already restrained.
Local police at the time described Thomas as highly combative throughout the encounter. The incident remains a stark reminder of how quickly a situation can turn deadly when a suspect decides she is not going to jail.
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