Suspect dead after being shot by Phoenix Police near 27th and Myrtle Avenues

PHOENIX - A suspect is dead after being shot by Phoenix Police officers on the night of Monday, Dec. 28.

Police say they received a call just before 10 p.m. from a woman saying her ex-boyfriend was acting in an irate manner on the patio of her home near 27th and Myrtle Avenues, just north of Glendale Avenue.

When officers arrived at the scene, the 30-year-old suspect was not at the residence. He was later found in the immediate area. He told the officers he had a gun and placed his hand behind his back. 

Four officers ordered him to show his hands, but the suspect did not comply and made statements about someone being killed. Police say the man continued to walk backwards, away from officers, entered traffic and crossed 27th Avenue to the east sidewalk.

After crossing the street, the suspect stopped walking and yelled at officers, "asking who is going to kill someone tonight," according to police.

"At this point, with his hand behind his waist, he began to count down from five. Once the suspect yelled out 'one', he quickly pulled his hand from the back of his waistband and simulated a handgun. Officers reacted to the threat and fired their service weapons at the suspect, striking him," read a portion of a statement released by the Phoenix Police Department.

The suspect was hospitalized in extremely critical condition where he later died.

"In situations like this, things happen so quickly, I think that there's always a question about why wasn't this done -- and I think it's easier to look at something after the fact," said Sgt. Mercedes Fortune. "I think our officers did everything they could to communicate with him, make every attempt to have him basically listen and cooperate, and he just didn't wanna do it."

No names have been released in this case.

"They believed he was armed. They told him he was armed with a gun and everything he did led officers to believe he was armed with a gun," said Sgt. Mercedes Fortune. "If anyone did see the incident and happened to be driving by.. if you have any information, please call the Phoenix Police Department. We would like to talk to you."

Police say three of the officers involved have between one and four years of service, while one officer has under a year of service.

So far, police say they have not recovered a gun from the scene.

The investigation is currently ongoing If you have any information on this incident, you're asked to call Phoenix Police at (602) 262-6151.

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