Body-worn camera footage just released by Phoenix officials shows officers opening fire on an armed man wanted on felony warrants in a busy Midtown parking lot near 7th Avenue and McDowell Road. The shooting happened shortly after 10 a.m. on April 29. The man was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. No officers were reported injured.
What Officials Say
According to a Critical Incident Briefing from the City of Phoenix, officers with the Special Assignments Unit were backing up Tolleson police in the hunt for a man wanted on felony warrants tied to an aggravated assault on a Tolleson officer.
The briefing says officers found and positively identified the man, who parked his vehicle and walked through a nearby alley. Officials say that when he pointed a handgun at an officer a second time, officers fired and hit him. The department states that a 37mm less-lethal launcher was used afterward to make sure it was safe to approach and that a handgun was recovered at the scene.
Bodycam And Local Reporting
Arizona's Family published the body-worn camera video, reporting that it captures the moments just before officers fired and shows Phoenix crews providing medical aid before the man was taken to a hospital. As reported by Arizona's Family, Tolleson officers first spotted the suspect's vehicle north of Van Buren and said he had two outstanding felony warrants when Phoenix officers later encountered him.
Investigation And Review
The Arizona Department of Public Safety’s Major Incident Division is leading the criminal investigation, according to the City of Phoenix briefing, and the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office will review the case. Phoenix Police say the officers involved are assigned to the Special Assignments Unit and have between nine and 17 years of service. The department will conduct an administrative review after outside investigators finish their work.
Officials also warn that the released video includes strong language and graphic content that some viewers may find disturbing.
At The Scene
Crews from Arizona's Family at the scene described a parking lot wrapped in crime-scene tape near several fast-food restaurants. They reported that McDowell Road was shut down for hours while investigators processed the area.
Phoenix Police posted on social media urging drivers to steer clear of the area and said a public information officer was on the way while investigators secured the scene.
Legal Process
Because Tolleson police had sought the man’s arrest on an aggravated-assault-with-a-deadly-weapon charge against an officer, the case involves several agencies and is being handled externally by DPS under standard protocol. City officials say any decision on whether the officers’ actions complied with department policy or state law will come only after the Major Incident Division finishes its investigation and county prosecutors complete their review.
