Investigators say a license plate reader flagged a stolen rental truck before the pre-dawn encounter near 89th and Peoria avenues.
PEORIA, Ariz. — A man was shot and wounded by Peoria police early Wednesday after he fled from a reported stolen U-Haul and displayed a gun near 89th and Peoria avenues, authorities said. The shooting happened shortly after 3 a.m., and Peoria Avenue remained closed for hours as detectives processed the scene.
Police and city officials said the case began when a license plate reader alerted officers to a stolen box truck and a patrol unit tried to stop it. During the stop, a passenger ran. Officers pursued and confronted the man a short time later, where they say he produced a firearm. Two officers were involved in the encounter; neither was hurt. The man, identified by police as 41-year-old Anthony Sesmas, was taken to a hospital and later listed in stable condition. The West Valley Critical Incident Response Team assumed the investigation, standard practice for shootings involving officers in the West Valley. Traffic restrictions stretched across a busy corridor on the day before Thanksgiving, forcing morning commuters to detour around the cordoned blocks.
Police said the alert came in around 3:11 a.m. after the plate of a U-Haul box truck pinged as stolen near 75th Avenue and Peoria. Officers tracked the vehicle to a nearby mobile home park and attempted a traffic stop. A man riding as a passenger ran from the truck, according to police. Officers set a perimeter and located him near an O’Reilly Auto Parts store close to 89th Avenue and Peoria. During that encounter, investigators say the man produced a handgun; a police sergeant fired at least one round, striking him. Officers performed aid until paramedics arrived. “He is stable,” a department spokesperson said at the scene, adding that once released from the hospital he faces booking on felony warrants and new charges tied to the incident. A woman believed to be the driver was detained; officials did not immediately release her name or any charges.
Officials said two officers participated in the stop and search, and at least one fired a weapon. The department did not immediately say how many shots were fired or where the wounded man was hit. No bystanders or officers were injured, authorities said. Police tape blocked Peoria Avenue in both directions between 89th and 91st avenues for several hours. A U-Haul truck sat within the perimeter while technicians documented tire tracks, shell casings and clothing left on the pavement after medics treated the suspect. Detectives will pull nearby security video and police body-camera footage as part of the probe, the agency said. Investigators also plan to trace the truck’s rental paperwork to determine where and when it was reported stolen. The department said there was no continuing threat to the public after the arrest and transport.
Wednesday’s shooting is the second such incident this year for Peoria police, according to the department, and among dozens in Maricopa County. Arizona news outlets have tracked at least 41 officer-involved shootings countywide so far in 2025, and more than 70 statewide. The West Valley Critical Incident Response Team—led in this case by Buckeye police—handles evidence collection and interviews when an officer uses force that causes injury. That arrangement is designed to separate the criminal investigation from the involved agency’s internal reviews. The Peoria department will conduct its own administrative inquiry into whether officers followed policy on pursuits, tactics and use of force. Those reviews typically examine dispatch audio, radio logs, GPS data from patrol cars and the activation of cameras during the stop and foot chase.
Records and on-scene statements indicate the confrontation unfolded across several blocks. After the license plate alert near 75th Avenue, officers trailed the truck east toward a mobile home park and attempted a stop. The passenger ran north and west toward the 89th Avenue corridor, where officers formed a containment perimeter. The encounter near the auto parts store followed within minutes. Police said the man displayed a gun before the shooting. Officials did not immediately clarify whether the suspect pointed the weapon or fired it. The sergeant who fired was placed on standard paid leave pending the outcome of the criminal and administrative investigations. The agency did not release the names of the officers involved by Wednesday afternoon, citing investigative protocols and required notifications.
The case drew an early-morning response from multiple West Valley agencies. Patrol cars and unmarked units blocked driveways to prevent cut-through traffic as crash investigators measured distances and marked evidence with numbered placards. By sunrise, westbound traffic on Peoria Avenue was redirected to 83rd Avenue and Loop 101 as motorists navigated around the closure. Onlookers gathered near a convenience store to watch SkyFOX and other news helicopters circle the scene. “We heard sirens, and then everything went quiet until they started blocking the road,” said Michael Alvarez, who was headed to work from a nearby apartment complex. A clerk at a gas station said officers asked employees to keep doors locked for a short time while they searched yards and alleys.
Authorities identified the wounded man as Sesmas, 41, and said he had outstanding felony warrants. Police did not list the jurisdictions tied to those warrants Wednesday and did not immediately provide the driver’s name. The agency also did not say where the U-Haul was rented or when it was reported stolen. A company representative declined to comment, citing the active investigation. Investigators will examine whether the plate-reader hit matched live rental records and will verify the truck’s identification numbers against theft reports. Officers also recovered the handgun displayed during the encounter, according to the department, though ballistic testing and a full report are pending. Detectives continued canvassing nearby businesses for surveillance video that might show the suspect’s route from the traffic stop to the shooting site.
By late morning, the West Valley team was conducting interviews with the two officers and with witnesses who reported hearing commands before a single shot. A nearby resident said she awoke to police shouting orders and then saw medics kneeling on the sidewalk. “They were working fast, and then an ambulance left with lights on,” said Maria Ortega, who lives off 90th Avenue. Police said officers rendered aid before fire crews arrived, in line with department training that emphasizes immediate medical care after uses of force. The scene remained active into midday as the team mapped the area, photographed the truck and collected statements. Officials said body-camera and perimeter-camera video would be reviewed before any additional information is released.
Under countywide protocols, the West Valley Critical Incident Response Team will present its findings to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office for review. Prosecutors will evaluate whether the shooting was legally justified under Arizona law. Separately, Peoria police will assess whether the involved officers complied with policy. If internal investigators find violations, discipline can range from remedial training to termination. The department said it would release the officers’ names after required interviews and notifications, typically within 10 business days, unless investigators determine that naming them would compromise safety or the investigation. Officials did not set a date for the first public briefing but said updates would follow as major steps are completed.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Peoria Avenue was reopening in phases as detectives cleared the last marked evidence. Police said Sesmas was in stable condition and would be booked on outstanding warrants and new charges after hospital discharge. The investigative team plans additional interviews and evidence testing through the week, with the first public case update expected by early next week.
Author note: Last updated November 26, 2025.