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YOUNGTOWN, Ariz. (KSAZ) - Authorities say an El Mirage police officer fatally shot a person during a shots-fired call in Youngtown on Sunday night around 10:00 p.m.
Daniel, a neighbor, saw most of it from his home nearby.
"They asked him to drop the gun several times, and 30 to 45 seconds later, shots were fired," he said.
The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office told FOX 10 they got the first 911 call at around 9:30 p.m.
Daniel says the man had been in front of his home shooting into the air. When officers with the El Mirage Police Department arrived at the scene with MCSO deputies, Daniel tells us the man had already gone inside and wouldn't come back out.
"So the officers started knocking and pounding on the door... after they evacuated everybody from the south side of the complex, because we have attics, they were afraid that he could go through the attics into other apartments, they commanded him to come outside for probably five to seven minutes," he said.
When he did, Daniel says the man still had his weapon after repeatedly being told to put it down.
An officer fired and the man, identified as Erick Perez, died. No officers were injured, but a neighborhood turned into a crime scene. According to MCSO, Perez was armed with a handgun and two knives. The unidentified officer believed Perez was a threat to his life and others at the scene.
Sheriff's officials say Perez had prior arrests and served prison time in Arizona for arson, burglary, leaving the scene of an accident and a parole violation.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.