Mesa police officer fatally shoots man seen with gun behind block wall

A Mesa police officer shot and killed a man seen holding a gun in a backyard Monday night, authorities said.

Officers responded to a call about a man making threats and displaying a gun in his waistband in a residential area near Mesa Drive and McKellips Road about 8:20 p.m., according to the Mesa Police Department.

The man, whose name has not been released, had been the subject of previous similar calls, police said.

When officers tried to contact him, he would not leave his home, police said.

While the scene was active, there was a collision involving a police vehicle behind the man’s house on Mesa Drive. Officers kept watch on the man’s home while other officers investigated the collision.

Detective Laura Cervantes described how the fatal shooting occurred in a media advisory.

“Officers observed the subject in a backyard, over the block wall, holding a firearm. An officer fired his duty weapon, and a team of officers, including a K-9, approached the subject and detained him,” Cervantes said.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

The Gilbert Police Department is investigating the officer-involved shooting as part of the East Valley Critical Incident Response Team.

Related

Burglars swipe bronze name plates from Phoenix cemetery, items from nearby churchCoffee chain 7 Brew wins auction for shuttered Salad and Go sites, beating Dutch BrosSpecialized Border Patrol unit joins search for last person missing after Grand Canyon floodingSnoop Dogg and T-Pain set for 2027 Bird’s Nest concert series at WM Phoenix OpenASU is now offering 3-year bachelor’s degrees for education studentsDistrict says police are still trying to identify victims in Corona del Sol voyeurism case