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The Republic
According to Phoenix police, officers arrested 22-year-old Francisco Torres on charges of aggravated assault after a search warrant execution in early September led to an officer-involved shooting.
Sgt. Jen Zak, a spokesperson for the Phoenix Police Department, said Torres was released from a hospital and booked into the Maricopa County Jail nearly two months after the shooting, which occurred near 17th Avenue and Tonto Street.
At the apartment complex, Phoenix’s Special Assignments Unit shouted their presence to those inside before breaking a unit’s window and using a battering ram to open a door, as seen in body camera footage shared by police.
That’s when the team were met with gunfire from inside, prompting one officer to return fire, Zak said.
“I’m shot,” an officer is heard saying in the body camera footage.
That officer was later identified as Michael Paulson, who was later taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life threatening, according to Zak. Another police officer was hurt but was later released from a hospital.
Two other men were also detained at the scene, according to Zak.
Torres was booked into MCSO custody for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to police.
Zak said the handgun believed to be used by Torres was located inside the apartment.
The officer who shot Torres is assigned to the SWAT unit and has over 17 years of service with the Phoenix Police Department, according to Zak.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety’s major incident team investigated the shooting and will send their findings to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office for review.
Rey Covarrubias Jr. reports 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.