A deputy-involved shooting at a Mesa apartment complex on Sunday night resulted in the death of a man reportedly armed with a knife. The incident occurred near Broadway and Crismon Roads, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix.
Deputies were responding to a call, just before 9:00 p.m., about a potential suicidal individual with a knife in hand. Upon arrival, they issued commands for the man, who was in his 40s, to disarm himself. As described by Sgt. Joaquin Enriquez to FOX 10 Phoenix, "When the suspect failed to comply with verbal commands and posed an imminent threat, deputies discharged their service weapons, striking the individual."
The man was pronounced dead at the scene, and no deputies sustained injuries during the incident. While the suspect's name has not been released, the ABC15 report further clarifies that the deputies had made several attempts to de-escalate the situation before resorting to lethal force.
The investigation is currently being handled by MCSO Major Crimes detectives, as "MCSO Major Crimes detectives responded and have assumed responsibility for the ongoing investigation," according to FOX 10 Phoenix. In the meantime, community members struggling with crisis are reminded that they can seek help by calling or texting the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which offers help 24/7 and provides support in multiple languages, including Spanish.
