PHOENIX, ARIZONA — A man who allegedly threatened a woman with a knife has died following a police-involved shooting near 83rd Avenue and Indian School Road, authorities confirmed late Friday evening.
According to the Phoenix Police Department, officers responded to multiple emergency calls around 7:30 p.m. reporting a disturbance involving a man armed with a knife threatening a woman outside a residential complex in the area. Witnesses described a tense and chaotic scene as police units quickly surrounded the location to contain the suspect and protect nearby residents.
Police said when officers arrived, they found the man still holding the knife and advancing toward the woman, who appeared to be in distress. Officers reportedly issued several verbal commands ordering him to drop the weapon. Despite repeated warnings, the man allegedly refused to comply and continued moving toward the woman.
As the situation escalated, officers discharged their weapons to stop the threat. The suspect was struck and immediately fell to the ground. Officers on the scene provided first aid and called for medical assistance. Paramedics from the Phoenix Fire Department arrived within minutes and transported the injured man to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment.
Authorities later confirmed that the suspect succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. The woman involved in the incident was not physically harmed but was visibly shaken. She was taken to safety and later interviewed by detectives as part of the ongoing investigation. Officials said she is now receiving victim support services through the department’s crisis response team.
Police officials emphasized that the shooting occurred in direct response to an imminent threat to life. “Our officers were confronted with a situation where an individual armed with a deadly weapon was actively threatening another person,” a department spokesperson said. “They acted to protect her and prevent further harm.”
The Phoenix Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit, along with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, has taken over the case. The investigation will include a thorough review of body-worn camera footage, witness statements, and forensic evidence from the scene to determine the precise sequence of events that led to the fatal shooting.
Nearby residents told reporters that they heard several loud gunshots, followed by sirens and shouting. “It happened so fast,” one resident said. “There were police cars everywhere within minutes. They were yelling for someone to drop the knife, and then I heard the shots.” Others described the area as typically quiet, expressing shock that such violence had erupted in their neighborhood.
As part of department policy, the officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. The Phoenix Police Department stated that this is standard procedure in all officer-involved shootings to ensure transparency and accountability.
Authorities have not yet released the identity of the deceased man, pending notification of next of kin. The area around 83rd Avenue and Indian School Road remained blocked off for several hours as investigators collected evidence. Officials assured the public that there is no ongoing threat and that the investigation is progressing actively. The department has promised to release additional information once the review is complete, reaffirming its commitment to transparency and community safety.
