What to know about Phoenix Police Department
The Phoenix Police Department is one of the largest police agencies in the U.S. Here’s what to know about the Department.
Officers shot a man after he exited an IHOP restaurant with a hatchet in central Phoenix on Aug. 19, according to the Phoenix Police Department.
The shooting was first reported by Phoenix police on social media around 5 a.m., near 19th and Northern avenues.
“There was a call for service for a trespassing at the IHOP behind us,” said Sgt. Lorraine Fernandez, a spokesperson for the Phoenix Police Department.
An IHOP employee called police to report a trespassing at 4 a.m., Fernandez said.
While the police were on their way, the call was updated to include that the man was cutting himself inside the restaurant, according to Fernandez.
Police arrived and made contact with the man just outside the IHOP, she said. Police tried to de-escalate the situation, Fernandez said, but the man ignored officers’ orders, prompting them to use less-than-lethal weapons.
The man continued to walk toward the officers, and a police officer with a rifle shot the man, according to Fernandez.
Police rendered first aid before Phoenix Fire Department personnel arrived and took the man to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, according to Fernandez.
The man was still in critical condition as of the last update Fernandez received. Police did not release the man’s name.
No police officers were injured during the shooting, according to Fernandez.
The area around 20th and Northern avenues remained closed to traffic as police continued to investigate the shooting, Phoenix police stated on X, formerly Twitter.
This is a developing story, check back to azcentral.com for more details.
Rey Covarrubias Jr. reports breaking news for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Email him at: rcovarrubias@gannett.com, and connect with him on Instagram, Threads, Bluesky and X (formerly Twitter) at @ReyCJrAZ.