Ariz. Police Officer Injured After Explosive Device Thrown at Cruiser

A Mesa police officer was hospitalized and a patrol unit damaged when an explosive device was thrown at the vehicle during a shots-fired call.

Joe Vince

Nov. 12, 2026

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What to Know

A Mesa police officer was injured Thursday when an undetermined explosive device was thrown at the officer's cruiser while responding to a shots-fired call.
The explosion also damaged the cruiser, and police detained three people following the incident.
Investigators believe the explosive device attack was unrelated to the initial call.

An Arizona police officer was injured Thursday when an explosive device was thrown at the officer's cruiser during a call.

The incident happened at about 6 a.m. when Mesa police responded to a report of shots fired in a neighborhood, KPNX-TV reports. An officer was in a patrol vehicle with the emergency lights on when an "undetermined explosive device" was thrown at it, according to police.

The officer was taken to the hospital with injuries that weren't considered life-threatening. The explosion also damaged the vehicle.

Officers detained three people following the incident. Police believe the explosive device attack was unrelated to the initial shots-fired call.

About the Author

Joe Vince

Joining Endeavor Business Media in 2018, Joe has worked on the company's city services publications. He began working at OFFICER.com as the assistant editor. Before starting at Endeavor, Joe had worked for a variety of print and online news outlets, including the Indianapolis Star, the South Bend Tribune, Reddit and Patch.com.