Man stopped for jaywalking points gun at Mesa officers, is shot by police: report
MESA, Ariz. - Mesa police officers reportedly shot a man who pointed a gun at them near Sossaman and University Drive on June 24, and that suspect now faces multiple charges.
Two officers were on patrol in the area when they saw 54-year-old Paul Newman jaywalking across five lanes of traffic, authorities said. He was almost hit by a car during that time.
"When the officers tried to talk to Newman, they immediately noticed a large bulge on the right side of his body," police said in a statement. "They asked him to sit down, and he didn’t comply but instead went into a crouched position."
As police approached him, Newman allegedly pulled out a gun from his waistband, fired it into the ground, and pointed it up toward an officer.
Both police officers shot him in response. Newman was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries but was released on June 28.
An investigation revealed that he had a second gun in his waistband and that he had a $100,000 warrant out for his arrest in Coconino County for drug possession.
Police found meth, black tar heroin and M30 pills in his backpack.
Newman faces multiple charges, including aggravated assault, drug possession, unlawful discharge of a firearm, and prohibited possession of a weapon.
Paul Newman