The Phoenix Police Department shared details of an officer-involved shooting incident via a Critical Incident Briefing video, which took place on September 28 near the intersection of 35th Avenue and W Bell Road. The briefing, which included audio and visual material, outlined the events that unfolded when officers responded to a report of a suicidal man who discharged a firearm inside his apartment, as outlined in a recent press release.
According to the information provided by the Phoenix Police Department, the situation began when the authorities received a 911 call around 9:45 a.m. reporting the man's concerning behavior. Evacuating residents from the vicinity after their arrival, officers contained the man within his apartment and made repeated attempts to engage him in conversation.
The department’s Special Assignments Unit (SAU) negotiators, who are trained in crisis intervention, took charge of the negotiation efforts and the scene. Escalation occurred when the SAU deployed a drone into the man’s apartment around 3:45 p.m. and observed him exiting his unit while brandishing a handgun. Despite commands to drop the weapon, the man proceeded to walk towards SAU officers with the gun in hand, leading to the shooting.
Following the shooting, SAU officers quickly stepped in to provide first aid to the wounded man. Despite their efforts, the man succumbed to his injuries after being transported to a local hospital. The officer, a six-year veteran of the Special Assignments Unit, now finds themselves at the center of a criminal investigation by the Department of Public Safety’s Major Incident Division and an administrative investigation by the Phoenix Police Department.
The outcomes of these investigations will determine whether the officers' actions align with department policy and legal standards, with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office conducting a separate review. The Phoenix Police Department has not yet released conclusive statements regarding the incident as they await the complete set of facts from the ongoing investigations.
