From Sunday, May 10 through Tuesday, May 12. For public safety, certain hiking trails are restricted from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Critical Incident Briefing - April 29, 2026 - 700 W McDowell Road
WARNING: The attached video may contain strong language and graphic images that may be disturbing to some viewers. Viewer discretion is advised.
The Phoenix Police Department has released a Critical Incident Briefing video to provide details as we currently understand them related to an officer-involved shooting from April 29, 2026.
Just after 10 a.m. Wednesday, officers from the Special Assignments Unit were near 7th Avenue and McDowell Road attempting to contact a man with felony warrants who had been involved in an aggravated assault on a Tolleson Police Department officer.
Officers located him and positively identified him as the wanted person. The man parked his vehicle and walked away through a nearby alley. As officers attempted to contact him, he pointed a gun at one of the officers. He raised the gun a second time and this is when the officer-involved shooting occurred.
After the man was struck by gunfire, an officer discharged his 37mm less-lethal launcher, a tool which is only used by members of the Tactical Support Bureau that fires a direct impact baton designed to deliver pain compliance, to verify it was safe to approach him.
Once officers were able to safely approach, they took him into custody and provided medical aid until Phoenix Fire Department personnel arrived and transported him to the hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.
The officers involved in this shooting are assigned to the Special Assignment Unit and have between nine and 17 years of service with the department.
This incident is the subject of a criminal investigation conducted by the Major Incident Division of the Arizona Department of Public Safety and will be reviewed by the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. It is also the subject of an administrative investigation being conducted by the Phoenix Police Department.
Conclusions about whether the actions of the officer are consistent with department policy and the law will not be made until all facts are known and the investigation is complete.
