Two people, including a juvenile, have been taken into custody in connection to the deaths of Gila River Police officer Joshua Briese and a community member. The shooting occurred around 2 a.m. on June 1 at a home on W. Moffett Road in Santan, District 4 of the Gila River Indian Community.
Officer Briese, who had been with the department for less than a year and was still in training, died from his injuries at the hospital. The second victim's identity has not been released.
The FBI and Gila River Police Department are conducting interviews, gathering evidence, and investigating all aspects of the case. Once completed, it will be handed over to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona for a charging decision.
Gila River Public Safety Dispatch received a 911 call regarding a disturbance at the scene where multiple gunshots were fired, leaving six people injured in total.
The community has temporarily banned all permitted and non-permitted dances as well as implemented enhanced penalties for trespassing and disorderly conduct following the incident.
Officer Briese is survived by his father, who was also a law enforcement officer and died in the line of duty in 2006.
