Suspect arrested for shooting two Phoenix Police officers had long criminal record

PHOENIX (AZFamily) – Two police officers were shot on the job in Phoenix. The man who allegedly pulled the trigger, 41-year-old Saul Bal, went on trial Wednesday on attempted murder charges.

Officers said they were confronting Bal about breaking into a car when he allegedly pulled out a gun and began firing, hitting both officers.

At his first court appearance, Bal said he was accused of shooting at police officers even though he did not have a gun on him. The judge then reminded Bal that he had the right to remain silent.

Prosecutors said the officers’ body-worn camera footage in the case contained graphic depictions of violence.

Bal’s extensive criminal record dates back to 2007. The charges mainly concern drug offenses and burglary, but he has also been violent toward police officers before.

“Her criminal record does indeed appear to be extensive and includes at least two previous allegations of violence against police officers,” the judge said.

Bal served two years in a California prison for attacking a police officer and attempting to take his gun in 2014. He is also a gun owner, meaning he is not allowed to own a weapon.

Despite these criminal records, he was released on parole after his arrest in Maricopa County in 2023.

“It appears, Mr. Bal, that your probation expires tomorrow,” the judge said.

Beth Goulden, a retired Maricopa County probation officer, believes an analysis needs to be done to find out what went wrong in the criminal justice system.

“Looking at the assessments and the risk factors that I know of, I would not consider him low risk,” Goulden said. “What can we consider at each step, especially considering that this person’s criminal record goes back many years. There’s a lot of information we can look at to see what potentially could have been done differently.”

Bal is being held on $2 million bail.

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