(ABC15) - A stretch of a busy Arizona freeway was shut down Tuesday morning following a shooting involving a state trooper.
10News' sister station in Phoenix, ABC15, reported a state trooper was searching for a vehicle possibly linked to a fatal Phoenix-area shooting just before 2 a.m. local time when the gunfire occurred.
The trooper spoke to a truck driver who claimed to have been shot at while on Interstate 10 near Tonopah. ABC15, citing the Arizona Department of Public Safety, reported the truck's driver suffered injuries from possible shrapnel.
ABC15 reported the trooper searched for the suspected shooter and about an hour later came upon a man matching the shooter's description standing outside of a vehicle at a nearby rest stop. The man reportedly shot at the trooper, prompting the trooper to return fire.
La Paz County Sheriff's officials said the gunfire lasted for "at least 30 minutes."
DPS officials said the suspect, identified by Phoenix police as 36-year-old Sladjan Petkovic. La Paz County Sheriff's officials say the suspect was "severely injured" in the shootout.
Multiple law enforcement agencies were called to the scene to search for the suspected shooter.
Petkovic was reportedly taken into custody and transported to the hospital due to his injuries.
Due to the law enforcement response, westbound I-10 was closed for several hours from milepost 81 to milepost 45, with a detour set up at milepost 81. Lanes were reopened 9:30 a.m. local time.
No officers or troopers were reported injured in the incident.
