Employee shoots, kills attacker at east Phoenix business, police say

PHOENIX – An employee at an east Phoenix business shot and killed a man who attacked him with a “dangerous instrument” Monday night, police said.

The man allegedly threatened to harm customers before the attack, which occurred around 11 p.m. at 44th Street and McDowell Road, Sgt. Ann Justus of the Phoenix Police Department told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Tuesday morning.

A customer told the employee about the threats, and the employee confronted him and asked him to leave, Justus said.

“And when he did that the male armed himself with … an expandable baton and attacked the employee,” Justus said. “The employee then discharged a firearm that he had and struck the male, stopping the attack.”

The employee called 911 and cooperated with investigators, Justus said. He was not arrested, and the investigation is ongoing.

The attacker was pronounced dead after being taken to a hospital. No other injuries were reported.

Justus said the baton would not be classified a deadly weapon, which is something designed for lethal use.

“There is also something called a dangerous instrument, and dangerous instruments can also cause death,” she said. “I would classify this more as a dangerous instrument, but that doesn’t mean you cannot use deadly force against that.”

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Jeremy Foster contributed to this report.

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