Kane County deputy killed in Arizona

FREDONIA, Ariz. — A large manhunt involving at least 100 law enforcers from two states continued Friday in a desert area on the Utah-Arizona border for a man police say shot and killed a Kane County sheriff's deputy Thursday afternoon.

Deputy Brian Harris was shot during a foot chase with a Fredonia, Ariz. resident known to both Coconino County, AZ and Kane County deputies. Harris was pursuing Scott Curley in connection with a burglary Wednesday and a confrontation with a custodian at a local high school Thursday. The chase began in Utah and ended about three to four miles later in Arizona, just east of Fredonia.

Harris was "following tracks" when he was shot about 2:20 p.m., said Coconino County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Jim Driscoll. How the confrontation unfolded was still being investigated early Friday.

At least 100 law enforcers from local, state and federal agencies in Utah and Arizona, in addition to tactical teams, police K9s and the Utah Department of Public Safety's helicopter and its heat vision equipment, were keeping watch on a six-square mile area where they believed the gunman was hiding early Friday. They planned to resume the search at dawn.

Driscoll said a "variety of tactics" were being discussed on how to deal with Curley Friday so that no other officers were hurt. Law enforcers stayed in the field all night, keeping a perimeter around Curley's believed location.

Despite the large number of officers, Driscoll described law enforcers as "playing defense" at night because Curley was very familiar with the desert, mountainous area that he was allegedly hiding. According to friends, he has "spider holes" in the area where he may have been storing food and supplies over the past few days, possibly stolen in a recent burglary from Fredonia High School, Driscoll said.

Law enforcers believe Curley is armed with a high powered rifle that was used to kill Harris. During the search for Curley following the shooting of deputy Harris, there were additional exchanges of gunfire between police and the suspect, but no one was injured, Kane County Emergency Services manager Alan Alldredge said.

Community members in Fredonia say the deputy was from the small town of Mt Carmel in Kane County and known by everyone.

"I feel for the family of the officer today," said Nick Bartlett, the superintendent for the Fredonia-Moccasin Unified School District. "This is a small community. Everyone knows him."