by Ethan Faverino | Apr 17, 2026 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
Congressman Abraham Hamadeh (AZ-08) thanked his colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives for the unanimous passage of his legislation to rename the United States Postal Service facility at 12208 North 19th Avenue in Phoenix as the “Officer Zane T. Coolidge Post Office.”
The bill, H.R. 3393, honors Phoenix Police Officer Zane Coolidge, who was shot in the line of duty on September 3, 2024, while responding to a larceny call near 16th Street and McDowell Road. Despite the heroic efforts of medical personnel, Officer Coolidge succumbed to his injuries three days later, on September 6, 2024, at the age of 29.
Officer Coolidge, a devoted husband and loving father, was a dedicated public servant who made the ultimate sacrifice while protecting his community. The suspect in the shooting was a man with multiple felony convictions who was on parole at the time of his crime.
The post office selected for renaming holds special significance: it is located across the street from Thunderbird High School, where Officer Coolidge graduated in 2013.
“The Phoenix Law Enforcement Association is deeply grateful for Congressman Hamadeh’s leadership in honoring fallen Phoenix Police Officer Zane Coolidge through the renaming of a United States Post Office,” stated President of the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association Darrell Kriplean. “Officer Coolidge represented the very best of our profession and made the ultimate sacrifice in service to his community. This designation serves as a lasting and meaningful tribute to his life, his service, and his legacy, while reflecting our community’s enduring respect for those who serve.”
“We also extend our sincere appreciation to Congressman Hamadeh for his continued commitment to law enforcement,” continued Kriplean. “His steadfast advocacy helps ensure that officers across Arizona have the support and resources necessary to protect and serve their communities.”
Congressman Hamadeh stated, “Officer Coolidge was a husband, brother, son, and father who died a hero. A true public servant, he sacrificed his life to fulfill his duty to protect and serve. Naming this facility in honor of Officer Coolidge is a small token of the tremendous appreciation we have for him and the countless men and women who have given our communities their last full measure of devotion.”
“I am proud to stand with the men and women of our police agencies. They deserve our full support and devotion,” concluded Congressman Hamadeh. “The sacrifice they and their families make to keep our communities free from crime is immeasurable and not to be taken for granted.”
This action will serve as a permanent memorial to Officer Coolidge’s service, sacrifice, and deep connection to the Phoenix community where he grew up and served.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Sep 9, 2025 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
The Phoenix Police Department held a solemn ceremony to unveil a historical marker dedicated to Officer Zane Coolidge, who tragically lost his life in the line of duty.
On September 3, 2024, Officer Zane Coolidge, a dedicated and courageous member of the Phoenix Police Department, was shot while responding to a call regarding an attempted vehicle break-in near 16th Street and McDowell Road.
Despite the heroic efforts of medical personnel, Officer Coolidge succumbed to his injuries three days later on September 6, 2024.
Officer Coolidge, a five-year veteran of the Phoenix Police Department, was known for his compassion, bravery, and dedication to public safety. As a native of Phoenix, he joined the force with a call of duty to protect his hometown.
In addition to serving the community as a police officer, he also served as a field training officer for the Mountain View Precinct, where he was a great example and mentor to young officers.
The historical marker, the 43rd of its kind in Phoenix, is part of the city’s initiative to honor police officers and firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving the community.
The sign is intended to serve as a lasting tribute to Officer Coolidge’s legacy and a reminder of the risks law enforcement officers face daily.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Sep 8, 2024 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
One Phoenix Police officer is dead and another remains hospitalized in critical condition.
Phoenix Police Officers Zane Coolidge and Matthew Haney were dispatched to a call of a suspect attempting to break into a vehicle on Tuesday, September 3 at 6:30 p.m. On encountering the suspect identified as Saul Bal, 41, the officers attempted to approach him but the suspect fled on foot. After the brief pursuit he turned and opened fire at the officers striking and wounding them both. Although one officer returned fire, the suspect was not hit.
Bal fled the scene and was later apprehended nearby. Both officers were rushed to a Banner University Medical Center, with Haney stable, but Coolidge in critical condition. Officer Zane Coolidge succumbed to his injuries Friday.
According to a statement from the Phoenix Police Department, Officer Haney was released from the hospital Wednesday, having been reportedly protected from more serious injury by his ballistic vest. However after days of battling his injuries, Interim Phoenix Police Chief Michael Sullivan announced, “The injuries he sustained after the cowardly acts of another were too much for him to overcome.”
As reported by AZ Family, investigating officers located a firearm they believe was used by Bal and the suspect was booked into Maricopa County Jail on multiple felony charges including two counts of attempted murder with his bond set at $2 million. Phoenix officials also said he has a lengthy criminal history with the outlet noting his previous convictions for attempted burglary and drug-related crimes in Arizona over the past two decades, and was under parole conditions set to expire Thursday.
Phoenix Law Enforcement Association President Darrell Kriplean told reporters, “I don’t really want to talk about the suspect because he doesn’t deserve our breath, but I will tell you that it’s infuriating that someone with a long criminal history like his would be allowed to be out amongst the community and continue, I mean he has demonstrated that he’s a drain on society, not a positive influence.”
Per reporting from the Associated Press, there was no information readily available on additional charges against Bal following Zane’s death.
Additional reporting from AZ Family revealed that Bal has been arrested and charged over forty times in the past 17 years, but somehow managed to avoid serious penalties for his crimes in most instances. Three of those charges were within the past 24 months.
The report specifically noted that an official with the Phoenix PD told AZ Family investigative reporters that on May 4th, Bal was booked on two felony charges of drug possession and a misdemeanor trespassing charge. However, prosecutors with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office withheld criminal charges pending the results of a lab test on pills found on the ground near Bal. The drug test results were reportedly never given to the prosecutors, but Phoenix PD questioned why he wasn’t charged based on the field-tested methamphetamines that were found in his possession as well. No charges were filed against the suspect. Though MCAO told reporters that he would’ve been released on recognizance anyhow.
Bal had previously served three months of a six month sentence in Navajo County for possession of drug paraphernalia and shoplifting before making his way back to Phoenix. He was released in July. Had he served his full sentence, the outlet observed that he would have still been in prison at the time of the murder.
Chief Sullivan said in a statement, “Officer Coolidge’s family is dealing with unimaginable grief. We will do everything we can to help them through their darkest hours, and we pledge that they will always be a part of the Phoenix Police Family. I ask that you keep them in your thoughts and prayers.”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
