Man charged with murder of AZ cop was arrested for potential felony last year, charges were never filed

Saul Bal, 41, is accused of shooting two Phoenix police officers, resulting in the death of 29-year-old Zane Coolidge, who had served on the force for five years. Bal now faces a first-degree murder charge along with several other charges. At his initial court appearance, attorneys argued that he posed an extreme danger to the community, according to Fox 10 Phoenix.

The incident occurred when two officers responded to a report of someone breaking into a car near 15th Street and McDowell Road in Phoenix. Upon arrival, the suspect fled the scene and jumped a fence. As the officers pursued him, they were met with gunfire.

Bal's criminal history is extensive, with 40 criminal charges over the last 17 years, including at least 18 charges that were dropped, according to AZ Family. His record includes several prison sentences in Arizona, as well as a two-year stint in a California jail.

In May 2023, Bal was arrested and booked into a Maricopa County jail where police recommended felony drug charges and a misdemeanor trespassing charge. However, the case never progressed to the trial or even the charging stage and it reportedly "disappeared" from the public record, per AZ Family.

In April 2024, Bal was sentenced to six months in prison in Navajo County on drug paraphernalia charges but served only three months before being released on parole in July. His parole was set to expire on September 23.

Had the charges in Maricopa County been pursued, Bal would have likely received a multi-year prison sentence and had been incarcerated at the time of Officer Coolidge’s death. Instead, he was released from custody.

“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,” Darrell Kriplean, president of the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association, stated. “He has demonstrated that he’s a drain on society, not a positive influence."