Suspect dead after exchanging gunfire with Mesa police officers
Jul 7, 2023, 10:56 AM | Updated: 3:28 pm
(Facebook File Photo/City of Mesa Police Department)
(Facebook File Photo/City of Mesa Police Department)
PHOENIX — A suspect is dead after exchanging gunfire with police officers during a standoff at a Mesa apartment complex Thursday night, authorities said.
Officers responded to a shots fired call near Mesa Drive and Brown Road around 9:30 p.m.
“When you hear a call of shots fired, you just never know what’s going to happen or what it is,” Mesa Sergeant Jamey Cox said on Friday. “Given we’re so close to the Fourth of July, sometimes you think it could be a a firework or not but then you hear it’s a possible domestic violence incident … we just don’t know. We have to be prepared for everything there could be.”
The 911 caller said a woman came to her residence after a domestic violence altercation. The caller also reported hearing a gunshot from the suspect’s apartment.
Officers arrived and tried to contact the suspect.
The man, who was later identified as 28-year-old Shawn Gagne, answered the door with a rifle in his hand, police said. He then shut the door, creating a barricade situation. Mesa SWAT then responded to the scene.
Cox said authorities would later learn he had multiple handguns inside the residence and had made various threats against his girlfriend.
Just before 10:45 p.m., a Mesa officer was on the perimeter saw the suspect was aiming his rifle towards police and exchanged fire.
“Once the firing ceased, officers moved in and they cleared the residence and rendered aid to the suspect,” Cox said.
Mesa Police said they could not say how many shots were fired, but eight officers were involved in the incident.
As of Friday afternoon, police said were still canvassing to make sure there were no other injuries.
No other information was made available.
The investigation is ongoing.
