By Joanna Putman
Police1
MESA, Ariz. — Newly released body camera footage shows officers rescue a victim from suspected kidnappers in a shootout, 3TV/CBS5 reported.
The incident occurred Nov. 13 in a parking lot outside of a restaurant. Undercover detectives were working on a hostage rescue mission to free an adult male victim from suspects Wyatt Edge, 43, and Rene Calderon, 45, according to the video release.
The two parked the suspect vehicle, a black van, in the restaurant parking lot. Edge went into the restaurant, leaving Calderon and the victim inside the vehicle. When detective vehicles arrived and blocked the suspect vehicle, Calderon fired automatic weapons at the detectives, putting multiple holes in the windshields of the cruisers, video shows.
Calderon was wearing body armor and switched weapons multiple times during the shootout, according to the report. After the officers returned fire, a detective was able to take Edge into custody.
Video shows another detective finding the victim, who appeared to be hiding behind an unoccupied bystander vehicle during the shooting.
“Thank you guys, thank you so much. Oh my God, thank you, man,” the victim can be heard telling an officer. Calderon was killed in the shooting. Edge was arrested. The victim was uninjured and one detective suffered a non-life-threatening injury, according to the report.