El Mirage police fatally shoot suspect who allegedly pointed gun at officers

PHOENIX — El Mirage police shot and killed a suspect who allegedly raised a gun at officers early Tuesday morning, authorities said.

The incident occurred near Cactus and El Mirage roads just before 2 a.m. when officers responded to a report of an alarm and a suspect forcibly entering a nearby Walgreens by breaking the glass door, according to a press release from the El Mirage Police Department.

Shortly after arriving at the Walgreens, a second call was received about a suspicious person a few blocks north of the store.

Officers made contact with the suspect who resisted arrest and fled, police said, running in between two houses.

As the suspect was running, police say they observed the suspect in possession of a handgun.

The suspect was given numerous commands to comply before lowering the weapon and pointing it at officers, police said.

Two officers then fired at the suspect, hitting him multiple times.

The suspect, identified as 21-year-old Johan Alexis Salazar of Surprise, was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said.

No officers were injured during the incident.

The investigation is ongoing and being conducted by the multi-agency West Valley Investigation Response Team, police said.

It was the first shooting of the year involving the El Mirage Police Department, and 37th overall in the Valley by law enforcement, according to KTAR News 92.3 FM research.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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