From Thursday, March 19 through Sunday, March 22. For public safety, certain hiking trails are restricted from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Critical Incident Briefing - March 12, 2026 - 3200 E Paradise Lane
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 related to an officer-involved shooting from March 12, 2026.
The incident began when officers responded to the area of 32nd Street and Paradise Lane after reports of a shooting.
After arriving on scene, officers saw a man matching the 911 caller's description of the suspect walking in the roadway. Officers exited their patrol vehicle to contact him and observed that he was holding a firearm. An officer gave the man commands to drop the weapon. The man ignored the commands and continued walking toward the officer while still armed, and that is when the officer-involved shooting occurred. The man fell to the ground and pointed the handgun at the officer, prompting them to fire again.
Additional officers arrived and safely approached the man, taking him into custody. He was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.
The officer involved in this shooting is assigned to the Desert Horizon Precinct and has approximately five years of service with the department.
This incident is the subject of a criminal investigation being 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.
