Suspect in trooper’s death out of coma

PHOENIX — A man who fired an Arizona state trooper’s gun, killing one trooper and wounding another, has regained consciousness after being placed in a coma, authorities said Friday.

Arizona Department of Public Safety officials confirmed that Isaac D. King, 20, was awake and alert at a Phoenix-area hospital. He is not expected to be released anytime soon, DPS spokesman Bart Graves said.

King had significant injuries when he was hospitalized after Wednesday night’s shooting, the Arizona Republic reported. Agency director Col. Frank Milstead did not detail the nature of his injuries, but told the newspaper King had to be put in a medically induced coma.

King, who has a history of mental illness and takes medication for anxiety and depression, had initially refused treatment.

“The medical people did not think that was a good idea, and they treated him because they were afraid if they didn’t treat him, he would not survive,” Milstead told the newspaper.

Authorities say King fatally shot Trooper Tyler Edenhofer while fighting officers along a major interstate in suburban Phoenix.

Edenhofer was in his last week of field training. The 24-year-old graduated from the Department of Public Safety academy two months ago and was engaged to be married.