PHOENIX — Records 12News received Wednesday are shedding new light on the shooting of Phoenix Police Officer Tyler Moldovan.
It's been a year and a half since the young officer was shot eight times in the line of duty and wasn't expected to survive. Remarkably, Moldovan continues to recover.
A public records request originally filed by 12News when Moldovan was shot was partially fulfilled Wednesday by Phoenix Police Public Records and included several audio interviews as part of the case with officers and others related to the case.
On December 14, 2021, Phoenix police officers were called to the area of 19th Avenue and Camelback Road for cars doing donuts; the call eventually led officers to an apartment complex near 15th Avenue and Camelback Road.
"I see the suspect running Westbound, or I'm sorry, eastbound, jumping to the wall," Officer Zachary Johnson told officers in the recorded audio interview.
Johnson was Moldovan's partner that night and details to investigators how he and Moldovan searched the apartment complex but lost sight of the person they were looking for.
"We didn't have - established an actual crime yet. We only knew the vehicle (sic) was suspicious, so our boss over the radio told us, 'Hey, pull back, we're not going to push this any further,'" Johnson said.
However, Johnson said as he and Moldovan were leaving, they heard a noise, and Johnson kept going.
"Little did I know that he had stopped and went to go check the pony wall," Johnson said.
The body camera from the incident was not released by Phoenix Police Public Records, citing a court order sealing the videos.
However, Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said she has seen the footage.
"I've watched the video and I’m very familiar with the case," Mitchell said. "In fact, it occurred before I was county attorney and I responded to the scene, so I certainly could understand some of the reasons for it. Obviously, it’s a horrific situation."
New federal court documents do describe a portion of the video, saying Moldovan gave commands to shooting suspect Essa Williams to show his hands, and Williams ignored Moldovan.
Instead, Williams is accused of pulling out a gun and shooting Moldovan several times.Due to previous convictions, Williams was not supposed to have a gun.
The US Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona announced Tuesday that three people have pleaded guilty to charges related to illegally giving Williams three guns.
A fourth gun was recovered at the scene and is suspected of being the gun Williams allegedly used to shoot Moldovan.
Johnson said when he heard the gunshots, he turned back.
"All I knew was my partner wasn't behind me anymore," Johnson said. "So I was already preparing for the worst; unfortunately, the worst is what happened."
Johnson said he found Moldovan on the ground.
"I sprinted back to where I last saw my partner in the direction of the gunshots and that's where I see the suspect on top of my partner," Johnson said.
According to the audio interviews, Johnson is the one who took Williams into custody with help from other officers. At the same time, additional officers take Moldovan out to try and help with his injuries.
"I thought I felt the heartbeat on there," One officer tells investigators in the audio interviews about assisting Moldovan. "So, took his vest off and then just started doing compressions."
Minutes later, Phoenix Fire arrived and took Moldovan to St. Joseph's Hospital in Downtown Phoenix, starting a recovery many didn't expect.
"I am thrilled to see that Moldovan is recovering like he has," Mitchell said.
Williams is still in Maricopa County Jail as his case has yet to go to trial.
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