Saul Bal: Prosecutors will seek death penalty against suspected killer of Phoenix officer

Death penalty sought against man accused of killing officer

According to court documents, prosecutors filed a notice of intent against 41-year-old Saul Bal, who’s accused of shooting and killing Phoenix Police Officer Zane Coolidge last year.

PHOENIX – A man accused of killing a Phoenix Police officer last year will face the death penalty.

Prosecutors filed a notice of intent last week against 41-year-old Saul Bal.

The backstory:

Bal is accused of shooting Officers Zane Coolidge and Matthew Haney last September near 15th Street and McDowell Road.

The two officers had responded to a call alleging a man was trying to break into a car. Police said the suspect, later identified as Bal, fled the scene before stopping and firing shots at both pursuing officers.

Coolidge, 29, died at a hospital three days later. Haney, 31, was protected from serious injury by his ballistic vest.

Bal pleaded not guilty to murder charges. He was indicted by a grand jury and remains jailed on a $2 million cash-only bond.

Dig deeper:

Bal has a lengthy criminal history and was on parole from the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry at the time of the shootings.

Map of where the shootings happened