A Prescott Valley man who shot at police and injured two officers received a lengthy prison sentence. Yavapai County Attorney Dennis McGrane announced that on March 21, Yavapai County Superior Court Judge Michael P. McGill sentenced 35-year-old Joshua Anson Schnoebelen to 20 years in prison. The sentence is a “flat time” sentence, meaning Schnoebelen will have to serve every day without the possibility of early release. He pled guilty to aggravated assault and attempted aggravated assault of several law enforcement officers and criminal damage and disorderly conduct committed against family members.
The incident began just after midnight on December 30, 2021, following a 911 call from Schnoebelen’s family. The caller reported Schnoebelen was yelling, knocking over furniture, and had slammed a family member’s head against a wall, and that several children were in the home. The caller reported that Schnoebelen was actively loading several firearms, and stated that he would shoot the police if they came to his house. Law enforcement officers spent hours attempting to get Schnoebelen to put down his weapons and surrender. Schnoebelen eventually opened fired on officers, hitting one officer in the leg and grazing the head of another officer. Officers returned fire ending the standoff. Schnoebelen was apprehended and was transported to a local hospital for medical attention.