Man with large hatchet shot by officers outside Phoenix IHOP: PD

Man with hatchet shot by officers in Phoenix: PD

A man who was armed with a hatchet was shot by officers outside an IHOP restaurant on Aug. 19 near 19th and Northern Avenues, police said.

PHOENIX - A suspect has died following an officer-involved shooting on Tuesday morning outside a Phoenix restaurant.

What we know:

According to the Phoenix Police Department, officers on Aug. 19 responded to a trespassing call at around 4 a.m. at an IHOP located near 19th and Northern Avenues.

"When officers were en route, the call did get upgraded to a man cutting himself inside the establishment," Sgt. Lorraine Fernandez said.

When the first officer got to the scene, he came in contact with the man outside the IHOP.

"The officer gave commands and attempted to deescalate the situation. However, the man started to walk towards him and revealed he was holding a large hatchet," Fernandez said. "The officer continued to give commands and told the man to stop as the officer backed up. The man continued to walk towards him."

Two other officers arrived at the scene, and a less-than-lethal tool was used on the man, but he continued to walk toward the officers.

"Officers continued to back up as the man continued to walk. This is when the officer-involved shooting occurred," said Fernandez.

On Aug. 20, police identified the suspect as 47-year-old Rocky Joe Ellis. Officers treated him at the scene before firefighters arrived and took him to a hospital where he later died. No officers were hurt. 

Northern Avenue is shut down in both directions between 19th and 21st Avenues due to the investigation.

Officer-involved shooting shuts down Northern Avenue

Northern Avenue is shut down in both directions between 19th and 21st Avenues in north Phoenix due to an officer-involved shooting investigation. FOX 10's Danielle Miller reports.

Dig deeper:

This is the sixth officer-involved shooting involving Phoenix Police this year.

What's next:

The Arizona Department of Public Safety will investigate the shooting.

What you can do:

Help is available. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to civilians and veterans. Support in Spanish is also available. You can also chat with crisis counselors via online chat.

CLICK HERE for the warning signs and risk factors of suicide.

Map of area where the shooting happened