KBI: Man shot by deputies was suspect in Arizona killings
By MARGARET STAFFORD
Associated Press
A man who died in a shootout that injured four Kansas law enforcement officers was a suspect in a double homicide in Phoenix, Arizona, police said Tuesday.
Leroy D. Malone, 39, of Phoenix, was killed Monday after he was shot several times by law enforcement officers in Dodge City, Kansas, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation said.
Two deputies from Ford County and one from Clark County were shot, and a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper was bitten by a police dog.
One Ford County deputy was treated and released after the shooting. The second Ford County deputy underwent surgery at a Wichita hospital and was in good condition, the KBI said Tuesday.
The Clark County Sheriff’s deputy and the Kansas Highway Patrol trooper were recovering from their injuries at home Tuesday.
A woman who was driving with Malone was shot several times. She was being treated for serious injuries but was improving Tuesday, the KBI said. Her name has not been released.
On Sunday, Phoenix police officers responding to a call about an injured person found 28-year-old Cameron Brown and 27-year-old Asya Ribble dead in their home. Their two young children were inside the house but were unharmed.
During the investigation, detectives determined a male suspect and a woman who was with him had left the state, Phoenix police said in a news release.
Phoenix police spokesperson Sgt. Brian Bower said Tuesday he did not expect any more information about the Phoenix homicides to be released while the investigation continues.
After police contacted agencies nationwide, Clark County deputies saw a blue Toyota Tundra that matched the vehicle connected to the Phoenix deaths driving through Minneola, Kansas. When deputies tried to stop the car, it sped off, the KBI said.
Deputies from Ford County and the Kansas Highway Patrol joined the pursuit and eventually a Clark County deputy forced the truck into a ditch. The shootout began when the truck was stopped in Dodge City.
Sheriff’s deputies from the Clark and Ford counties fired their weapons, the KBI said. Malone was shot and killed, and the woman with him was shot and hospitalized in critical condition. A handgun was recovered from inside the truck, the KBI said.
Malone served time in prison in Arizona from June 2010 until June 2020 for convictions for aggravated assault, armed robbery, marijuana violation and other charges, according to online records.
The sheriff’s deputies involved in the shooting are all on paid administrative leave while the investigation continues.
