Mesa police officer fatally shoots man carrying ax after domestic violence incident

A police officer shot and killed a man armed with an ax after a domestic violence incident in east Mesa on Monday night, authorities said.

The Mesa Police Department responded to multiple 911 callers who reported seeing a man assaulting his ex-wife and children with a shovel outside a home on the 3800 block of South Emery Circle, near Signal Butte and Elliot roads, shortly after 7 p.m.

Witnesses said the man, who police identified as 59-year-old Perry Forster, also had damaged vehicles in the neighborhood with the shovel and might be armed with an ax and a gun.

An officer located Forster, who was carrying an ax, and issued verbal commands. The fatal shooting occurred during their encounter, police said. No additional details about the encounter and what prompted the officer to shoot have been released.

Police and fire personnel initiated lifesaving measures, but Forster was pronounced dead at the scene.

No family members or officers were injured during the incident.

The Gilbert Police Department is leading the investigation into the police shooting as part of the East Valley Critical Incident Response Team.

This is an updated version of a story originally published Aug. 3, 2026.

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