MOHAVE COUNTY — A Kingman man who held a woman and her children captive before killing a Golden Valley woman Wednesday was shot by officers several hours after the ordeal began, according to narratives provided by the Kingman Police Department (KPD) and Mohave County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO).
Police Chief Rusty Cooper said Jeremy Muse and a woman had been living together, along with her children, at a home in the 2300 block of Valentine Avenue. He said Muse, 36, held the woman and kids captive for multiple days, possibly a week, before she escaped and fled on foot shortly after 12:00 p.m on Wednesday.
Cooper said officers responded at 12:08 p.m. to reports of gunfire in the 2100 block of Harrison Street. He said Muse chased the escapee and fired shots at her, though she was not struck.
KPD Public Information Officer Jennifer Sochocki said officers learned that Muse sped away in a silver Chevrolet Cruz.
“At about 1:12 p.m., the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office began receiving reports of a shooting occurring at a residence in Golden Valley where a woman had been fatally shot,” Sochocki said. “The suspect description in that case matched the description of Jeremy Muse.”
The MCSO said the unidentified female was dead where she was shot at a residence in the 3700 block of N. Bosque Road. “The suspect in the shooting was identified as Jeremy Muse,” an MCSO news release said.
Officers with multiple agencies spent the next several hours conducting a manhunt before Muse’s vehicle was spotted near the Kingman Airport in the area of Route 66 and Mohave Airport Drive. Muse sped away from the attempted traffic stop leading authorities on a high speed chase back into Kingman.
“During the chase, Muse, the driver of the vehicle, reportedly fired his handgun multiple times at pursuing officers, striking at least one patrol vehicle,” Sochocki said. She said the chase ended when Muse crashed into another vehicle at the intersection of Airway Avenue and Willow Road.
“Muse exited his vehicle, and gunfire was exchanged between Muse and the officers,” Sochocki said. “Muse was struck multiple times, ending the gunfire.”
Muse was provided medical treatment, transported to Kingman Regional Medical Center and flown to a trauma center in Las Vegas in critical condition.
Officers were not hurt during the incident. The driver of the other vehicle that Muse crashed into sustained minor injuries.
The name of the Golden Valley homicide is initially withheld. The multiple crime scenes are the focus of ongoing investigation.
Two Kingman police officers involved in the shooting are placed on administered leave, common practice in officer-involved shootings (OIS). The Arizona Department of Public Safety will handle the OIS investigation.
Photo by Wolfress.
