Man shot, killed by police after firing rifle near officers
Jun 25, 2017, 6:26 PM | Updated: 6:31 pm
(Facebook Photo)
Phoenix Police shot and killed an armed man who fired his gun into the air and pointed it at officers who were responding to a domestic violence call.
The suspect, 47-year-old Nicholas Johnston, was pronounced dead on the scene after an officer with 22 years of experience fired twice at the suspect, according to a Phoenix Police spokesman.
Officers responded to a call at 10:20 a.m. near Cave Creek Road and Desert Willow Parkway and closed the residential road down at the 4500 block of East Rancho Caliente Drive. Police said the suspect was drinking, damaging property and in a verbal altercation with his mother, who lives with him.
The suspect was observed with a rifle as officers took position across the street. The man fired a shot into the air and also shot in the direction of a police helicopter. He then pointed his rifle at officers across the street before one of them fired.
No officers were injured in the incident.