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Suspect shoots Arizona police officer with an arrow

Posted at 6:07 AM, Jun 29, 2017
and last updated 2017-06-29 08:11:18-04

A Chandler (Ariz.) Police Department officer is expected to recover after he was shot with an arrow.

The suspect, identified by officers on the scene as Thomas Leeper, is in custody.

Investigators on the scene tell Phoenix-based KNXV that officers were called to a home around midnight for a welfare check.

Apparently family members were worried about Leeper and as officers were en route, Leeper reportedly told family members that he wanted to confront the officers.

Investigators say they arrived to find Leeper on the roof wearing a type of bullet-proof vest.

It was at that moment, according to those on the scene, an officer was struck in the arm with an arrow.

The officer was immediately taken to the hospital where he was released hours later.

Police have had previous contact with Leeper -- he was arrested in 2016 after a string of arson fires in Chandler.