PHOENIX — An El Mirage man faces charges accusing him of shooting at law enforcement officers on at least five different occasions in the Phoenix area.
No officers were injured in the 2021 incidents that resulted in the arrest Wednesday of Saul Ballardo, 38, but a probable-cause document submitted by the Arizona Department of Public Safety said the shootings caused officers to fear for their lives.
The statement provided no information on a possible motive, and DPS spokesman Raul Garcia Jr. said Friday the investigation was continuing and that no additional information was available.
According to the statement, the shootings involved a Maricopa County sheriff’s deputy, an Arizona Department of Transportation law enforcement captain, a state trooper and El Mirage police officers.
Court records didn’t list an attorney for Ballardo who could comment on his behalf on the allegations, which include a total of 38 counts of attempted murder, intentional terrorism, two types of aggravated assault and discharging a weapon in city limits.
A judge on Thursday ordered that Ballardo, 38, remain in jail for lack of $1 million.
