The Phoenix Police Department has released a new Critical Incident Briefing video concerning an officer-involved shooting that took place earlier this month, the department announced. The video, which may contain strong language and graphic content that might be disturbing to some viewers, details the events of a shooting that occurred on November 5 near 3rd Street and Clarendon Avenue in Phoenix, as reported by the City of Phoenix.
Responding to a call about a residential burglary, officers from the Mountain View Precinct encountered a man allegedly trying to jump over a fence from an alley. The caller described the suspect as wearing a red cap and grey pants. The first officer to arrive on the scene spotted a man matching the description. Moments later, three additional officers approached from the other end of the alley. Despite commands to show his hands, which the man kept in his pocket, he did not comply, as detailed by the City of Phoenix. An officer's attempt to use a less lethal launcher was unsuccessful due to a malfunction, after which the suspect drew what appeared to be a gun and pointed it toward one of the officers.
As reported by the City of Phoenix, two officers fired their weapons, hitting the man. The subsequent intervention by additional officers included disarming the suspect and attempting life-saving measures. However, Phoenix Fire Department personnel declared the man deceased at the scene. The object the man possessed, initially believed to be a firearm, was later identified as a replica gun.
In the aftermath, no officers or civilians were reported injured. The two officers involved, both assigned to the Mountain View Precinct with eight and six years of service, respectively, are now the subject of both an internal and criminal investigation to determine whether their actions were under department policy and the law. The Maricopa County Attorney's Office will review the case once the criminal investigation is concluded.
To comply with public records law, certain personal identifying information has been redacted in the released video footage, hence viewers may notice sections of the Body Worn Camera (BWC) footage blurred or obscured. The redacted video has been disseminated to local media outlets for independent review and publication. The department's official statement and the briefing video can be found on the Phoenix Police Department's newsroom page.
