Scottsdale police say suspect fired first before officers fatally shot him
Apr 17, 2023, 1:05 PM | Updated: 1:32 pm
PHOENIX — Police in Scottsdale said officers fatally shot an armed man who fired at them Sunday night after a confrontation in front of a home.
The Scottsdale Police Department said officers shot a man later identified as Isaiah Curtis, 26, shortly before 7 p.m. near Granite Reef Road and 82nd Street, in the area of Hohokam Elementary School.
Officers rendered aid but Curtis was pronounced dead by emergency medical personnel at 7:10 p.m., police said in a press release Monday.
Police had responded to the scene after a call at 6:45 p.m. about a domestic disturbance. Curtis’ ex-girlfriend told police she had dropped him off at an address on Cypress Street and that he had a gun.
Police reached the neighborhood at 6:50 p.m. and made contact with Curtis and saw he had a pistol.
Curtis refused orders to drop the gun and then shot at the officers, police said.
Both officers returned fire, hitting Curtis.
The officers performed life-saving measures including CPR and applying a tourniquet, Bolin said, until emergency medical personnel got there.
The suspect was taken to HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center.
Police said they recovered a gun next to Curtis.
The two officers have been placed on post-critical incident leave during the internal and criminal investigations, which is standard procedure after an officer-involved shooting, police said.
The patrol officers involved have less than 5 years of experience combined. One officer has 1½ years of service and the other about 3 years, Bolin said.
In 2022, Scottsdale Police reported 56 assaults on police officers, according to data released by the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
