PHOENIX — Armed with a long rifle, a 33-year-old man carjacked several cars, caused multiple crashes, and took police on a miles-long chase that ended in south Phoenix Thursday afternoon, authorities said.
Surveillance video obtained by 12News shows the armed man, later identified as Carlos Delfin, crash into a home and then run inside it near 15th Avenue and Dobbins Road around 6 p.m.
“He came up in the vehicle, didn’t even put it in park and hit my trailer,” Steven Van Zanen told 12News. “My friend was held at gunpoint and the guy was making him change outfits with him.”
In the video obtained by 12News, Delfin can then be seen unarmed as he puts on a white shirt he took from a resident of the home. He paces in and out of the residence, grabs a mattress, and tries to hide under it.
After a few seconds of hiding, Delfin drags the mattress to a neighbor’s home as he remains shielded by it.
Another surveillance camera then shows Delfin running through a backyard, as dozens of police in marked, unmarked, and armored vehicles begin to surround the home.
Delfin was taken into custody by police shortly after near a bus stop.
“It was kind of scary, you know,” Van Zanen said. “I’m just glad the police were able to do their job and arrest him.”
How it all unfolded
Phoenix police said the incident began when officers were helping another law enforcement agency with a vehicle stop near 16th Street and McDowell Road around 5:30 p.m. They said the vehicle didn’t stop for officers and left the area.
A police helicopter followed the vehicle until it stopped on State Route 51, just south of Indian School Road.
Authorities said an officer in an unmarked vehicle saw Delfin get out of his car and attempt to carjack a vehicle while holding a firearm, that’s when the officer fired at the man.
Delfin ran north on the freeway and stole a truck at gunpoint, police said. As Delfin drove away from the scene, he passed the officer, at which point the same officer fired additional rounds at the man.
Delfin continued driving along several side streets and caused multiple collisions. One of those was at 7th Street and Roosevelt Road.
“He fired shots,” Jose Perez Rocha, who works in the area, told 12News. “There are bullets there. He fired shots that way and then he stole the guy’s car and ran that way and there were like 20 police cars going after him.”
Police said Delfin stole more cars at gunpoint. He then crashed into Mary Reagan’s backyard wall near 10th Avenue and Dobbins Road. She was watching the news about the car chase when she heard a loud noise.
“It sounded like a tank going down the road, that’s why I thought it was the armored cars,” Reagan said. “I heard the helicopters overhead stating to stay inside, don’t go out, so that’s what I did. I just concluded that it was [armored cars] until I found the whole in my fence this morning.”
Delfin then crashed into Van Zanen’s home.
“He made his way through the alley and cut towards the bus stop and that’s where they got him,” Van Zanen said.
Police said a firearm was recovered in the area where Delfin was taken into custody. Van Zanen said the long rifle was in his backyard.
Authorities have not provided details of why officers were trying to stop Delfin's vehicle in the first place.
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