A deadly confrontation unfolded at a Peoria car dealership on January 5, leading to the fatal shooting of a suspect and the injury of a Phoenix police officer. The clash took place near 87th Avenue and Bell Road at the Larry H. Miller dealership, where 30-year-old Junior Reyes, was shot and later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital, as reported by the Phoenix New Times.
The incident erupted when detectives from the Phoenix Police Department’s Fugitive Apprehension and Investigations Detail, having tracked Reyes to the dealership, attempted to arrest him on a felony warrant. With a history of assaults on officers and illegal firearm possession, Reyes engaged in gunfire with the officers. While trying to apprehend him, police say Reyes drew a semiautomatic handgun and began shooting, according to the briefing made public by the Phoenix Police.
In a body camera footage release, Reyes is seen shooting multiple rounds. Three officers responded with lethal gunfire and a fourth with a less lethal projectile launcher, which Police Chief Michael Sullivan described as a reflection of the real threat of violence against law enforcement in a statement obtained by FOX 10 Phoenix. The shootout resulted in Reyes suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and an officer's hospitalization, having suffered a gunshot injury, who was expected to make a full recovery and has since been released.
Following the shooting, the Peoria Police are leading a criminal investigation, the outcomes of which will be scrutinized by the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. Concurrently, an internal review will assess the officers' actions against the Phoenix Police Department’s policies. This tragic event adds to the 12 fatal police shootings in 2023, marking an increase from the previous year. The death of Reyes was the first officer-involved shooting fatality of the year for Phoenix police. Later, on January 11, a second fatal shooting occurred involving 43-year-old John Michael Lewis after he allegedly brandished a weapon at officers, as described by the Phoenix New Times.
The U.S. Department of Justice continues its nearly 30-month investigation into the Phoenix Police Department, probing into the patterns of force used by officers, discriminatory policing practices, and how the homeless and disabled are treated. Amidst this scrutiny, Phoenix city officials have expressed opposition against independent oversight encouraged by the federal department. Meanwhile, the community and the department reckon with the ongoing concern over violence involving law enforcement.
