PHOENIX — A Fry's employee following an alleged purse thief was shot at during a pursuit.
Phoenix police report that on April 7 a woman had her purse stolen as she was putting her groceries into her car at the Fry's Food store near 67th Avenue and Bell Road.
A Fry's employee was outside the store on his break when he allegedly saw a man running with a big black purse.
The employee got into his car and pursued the suspect, later identified as Marcus Andre West, age 18, to a nearby apartment complex. He then reportedly saw a blue Lexus leave the complex "in a reckless manner."
The employee was pursuing the Lexus through a neighborhood when he saw West hanging out of the passenger side window with a gun. West then allegedly fired a shot at the pursuing car, according to two residents in the neighborhood.
The employee decided to break off the pursuit and was turning his car around when West reportedly fired a second shot at him.
Police soon received a call of a hit and run crash near 43rd Avenue and Thunderbird Road. The same Lexus had crashed into a residential wall. Police located West, his girlfriend Camilla Salam Alkhafaji, and her 4-month-old baby hiding in the house they entered.
Police say Alkhafaji was driving the car with West and her baby as passengers.
Court records say that DCS has an open case against Alkhafaji.
Alkhafaji and West have been charged with drive-by shooting, aggravated assault, theft, and endangerment.
