In the late morning of May 10, 2005, Phoenix Police Officer David Christopher Uribe, a 48-year-old male and a 22-year veteran of the force, was on duty in northwest Phoenix. At approximately 11:10 a.m., he conducted a traffic stop near the 3400 block of West Cactus Road on a vehicle with a stolen license plate. As Officer Uribe approached the driver's side of the car, one of the two men inside opened fire, striking him in the head and neck.
The two suspects fled the scene, abandoning
their vehicle in a residential area a few blocks away. A witness to the shooting immediately called 911 and began administering CPR to the fallen officer. Officer Uribe was rushed to a local hospital, but his injuries were too severe, and he was pronounced dead. His death was the result of gunfire from a handgun.
A swift and intensive investigation led to the arrest of two suspects just two days after the shooting. The passenger, Donald Delahanty, then 22, was identified as the triggerman. The driver of the vehicle was 31-year-old Christopher Wilson. The motive for the shooting appeared to be a senseless act of violence, with Delahanty reportedly fueled by methamphetamine and a desire to harm a police officer.
In 2009, Donald Delahanty was convicted of first-degree murder and subsequently sentenced to death for the killing of Officer Uribe. His accomplice, Christopher Wilson, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and agreed to testify against Delahanty. For his role in the crime, Wilson was sentenced to 11 years in prison.
