Police officer shoots, kills armed carjacking suspect in west Phoenix

PHOENX — An armed carjacking suspect has died after being shot by a police officer in west Phoenix on Thursday afternoon, authorities said.

No officers were injured during the incident.

The suspect, who was later identified as 46-year-old Miguel Angel Duran Delgado, stole a semi-truck at rifle-point on Virginia Avenue near 33rd Avenue around 3 p.m., Phoenix Police Sgt. Tommy Thompson said during a press conference at the scene.

After forcing the driver out, the suspect drove the truck to the area of 3300 W. Cambridge Ave., south of Thomas Road.

“That suspect then got out of the truck and began pacing back and forth in front of that residence, with the rifle,” Thompson said.

Police arrived at the scene and attempted to take the suspect into custody with non-lethal methods, Thompson said.

The man failed to obey commands, and a Special Assignments Unit officer shot him one time after the man reportedly reached for his waistband and turned away, Thompson said.

The first officer who was on the scene said the man was armed with an AR-15 rifle with an extra magazine, but it was later determined to be a replica long gun.

Officers also found several magazines with live ammunition, including an AR-15 magazine, and several long knives that were either dropped by the suspect or were in his possession when he was taken into custody.

The suspect was initially transported to a hospital in extremely critical condition. He died later that same day.

The officer who shot the suspect was identified as 43-year-old Christopher Palmer, who has been with the department for 19 years.

While the scene was being investigated, 33rd Avenue was closed from Thomas Road to Virginia Avenue.

Thompson said during the early-evening press conference that the investigation could last several hours.

According to ABC15, it was the 75th officer-involved shooting in the Valley and the 41st in Phoenix in 2018.

Poder in Action, a local activist group, hung a 100-foot banner that read “STOP PHX POLICE VIOLENCE” over the Interstate 10 in Phoenix on Friday morning.

In a statement, activists called on Chief Jeri Williams to “take accountability for the rampant violence in her police department.”

Activists also said they would demand a freeze on police spending at a Phoenix City Council meeting next week, where lawmakers are expected to discuss providing the department with $750,000 worth of firearms.

The group did the same earlier this month after Phoenix police shot and killed an armed robbery suspect.

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