Police shooting in Bullhead under investigation

BULLHEAD CITY - Lake Havasu City police are investigating an officer involved shooting (OIS) that resulted in the wounding of a suspect and a civilian in Bullhead City. It is standard procedure for an outside agency to conduct an independent investigation of a shooting involving officers from another law enforcement agency.

Bullhead City police officers were dispatched late Friday afternoon, Jan. 27 to a report of a man wearing a bullet-proof vest pointing a weapon at people at an RV park in the 1600 block of Silver Creek Rd, according to a Lake Havasu police department news release. It said the suspect later identified as Kyle Schafer, 41, had barricaded himself inside a trailer before officers arrived.

"The suspect ultimately shot at SWAT officers from within his trailer," said sergeant Michale Terrinoni. He said an innocent bystander was wounded when one of the bullets fired by the suspect penetrated his nearby trailer and struck him.

Authorities said the unidentified bystander was transported to Sunrise Medical Center in Las Vegas for treatment of what are believed to be non-life-threatening injuries.

"During this armed conforntation, three SWAT officers from the Bullhead City police department fired their weapons and struck the suspect," Terrinoni said. He said the wounded Schafer continued firing at officers before he surrendered and was transported to Sunrise for treatment of his wounds, also believed to be non-life-threatening.

A cursory check of public data bases turned up no Arizona criminal history for Schafer.

No other civilians and no officers were injured. The names of the involved officers are initially withheld as the investigation continues.