A man died after a shooting involving a Department of Public Safety trooper Sunday morning. The shooting resulted in a section of the southbound Loop 101 closing Sunday morning.
The trooper had located a driver parked on the shoulder of the freeway at about 2 a.m. near University Drive in a vehicle that matched the description of a vehicle that was recently reported for erratic driving, according to officials.
The trooper approached the vehicle and attempted to speak to the driver. The driver then refused to follow instructions and barricaded himself in his car, according to DPS Sgt. Eric Andrews.
After about 30 minutes, Andrews said the man pulled out a handgun, “which resulted in a trooper-involved shooting,” a release stated. The man was pronounced dead at the scene and no troopers were hurt.
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Following the incident, the southbound Loop 101 was closed at Rio Salado Parkway as well as the on-ramp at University Drive, according to officials. Both are expected to be closed for several hours.