The indictment of a former Prescott police officer has drawn significant attention after a grand jury in Yavapai County charged him with manslaughter for the fatal shooting of an unarmed man last year. According to FOX 10 Phoenix, Brian Sutton, the officer involved, was responding to a domestic incident when the shooting of Daniel Leslie occurred.
Reports by AZ Family detailed that the incident unfolded after Leslie was confronted by Officer Sutton outside his home. Despite being asked to leave the property, Sutton pointed his gun at Leslie, leading to a confrontation where, as body-camera footage shows, Sutton fired three bullets as Leslie ran towards his house. Following the shooting, Leslie died from his injuries at a Phoenix hospital.
Despite Leslie evading police initially, the return to the scene by officers the following day brought about the tragic outcome. The Prescott Police Department remained largely silent on the matter, stating that, "Currently, with criminal charges and civil litigation pending, we are unable to comment further," in a statement obtained by FOX 10 Phoenix.
Heightening the tension surrounding the case, the family of Daniel Leslie expressed their intent to file a lawsuit against both the police department and the city. "I never thought that he would be shot for no reason," Daniel’s mother, Wendy Leslie, said in October in a statement obtained by AZ Family.
