Suspects in officer involved shooting identified

MESA, AZ - The suspects  in an officer involved shooting Tuesday at the Fry’s store at Broadway and Ellsworth in Mesa have now been identified.

An officer was left hospitalized after being shot during an undercover drug operation in the parking lot of a Mesa grocery store.

Mesa Police Department spokesman Steve Berry told ABC15 the officer was one of several narcotics officers who were meeting with suspected drug dealers at the Fry's store at Broadway and Ellsworth roads.

At some point during the exchange, one of the suspects drew a weapon and opened fire on the officers.

According to Berry, the officers returned fire, striking two suspects.

Kevin Carlson Dob of Apache Junction was pronounced dead at the scene.

The second suspect, Keith Emmons Dob, also of Apache Junction is in critical, but stable condition.

One of the officers was also struck by gunfire during the shooting. Mesa police Sgt. Ed Wessing said the officer suffered a gunshot wound to the leg and was also taken to Scottsdale Osborn Hospital.

He has since been treated and released.

Residents who live near the shooting scene in Mesa are not surprised by the violence.

"I'm not shocked because it's that kind of neighborhood," said Kianna Vargas, who is a student living in the area.
 
"It's bad," agreed Annie Randles, who lives in the apartments behind the Fry's store where the shooting happened. "I'm trying to get financial aid to move out of here, it's that bad."
 
"Nobody does anything because nobody cares," said Jennifer Burt, another nearby resident.
 
Not one of the more than a dozen residents who spoke to reporters was surprised by violence in the area.
 
Many call the area "Tweakerville", referring to the drugs and crime that have moved into the neighborhood.
 
Several of them had just left the store moments before the shooting started and heard a series of shots as they drove away. Many came back to see what was going on as emergency crews descended on the area.
 
ABC15 checked crime statistics in the area and didn't find anything out of the ordinary in the area around Ellsworth and Broadway roads.
 
Just last month, Mesa was ranked the seventh safest large city by Forbes magazine.