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James Garcia had long history of drug abuse and 'would not go back to jail,' Phoenix police report says

According to a police report, Garcia’s mother Denice Garcia told investigators her son was addicted to fentanyl.

PHOENIX — The man killed by Phoenix police earlier this month had a long history of substance abuse and allegedly told his mother he would refuse to go to jail if arrested, according to a police report released Monday.

James Garcia was shot by officers on July 4 after officers got a 911 call from a man who said he was stabbed with a knife and that the man who stabbed him was threatening him again.

When police arrived, they found Garcia, 28, inside a car and he was reportedly uncooperative with officers.

According to the Phoenix Police Department, while officers were talking with Garcia in the driveway, he armed himself with a handgun.

Officers instructed Garcia to drop the handgun, but police say he would not drop the gun but began to raise the weapon.

As he did, two officers fired their weapons at Garcia in the vehicle. 

RELATED: 'If he lifts that gun up anymore, I'm shooting him': Body-worn footage shows tense confrontation before fatal shooting of James Garcia

PPD released edited bodycam footage of the shooting on Monday.

After the shooting, multiple friends and family members of Garcia were interviewed by police.

According to the police report, Garcia’s mother Denice Garcia told investigators her son had recently been in some sort of dispute with his girlfriend, and he was addicted to fentanyl.

Even with over 20 years of counseling and social work experience, she reportedly told police she had difficulty helping Garcia become sober.

Other associates of Garcia also told investigators of his drug addiction. A friend of Garcia named Shawn told police that the two of them met at a “dope house,” and that Garcia was shot at that location in the past.

He also told police that Garcia slept outside with a handgun because of his distrust of others, according to the report.

Denise told investigators that Garcia was homeless two years ago after she kicked him out for stealing electronics from her home, according to the report.

After that, Garcia slept in the garden of a business complex until an elderly man offered to give him housing in exchange for work, and Denise aided the man knowing it was helping her son as well.

But a week and a half before the deadly shooting, Denice learned that Garcia had bought a gun, and he claimed that he needed it for self-protection.

Denice knew of Garcia’s probation and an outstanding warrant for his arrest. According to the report, Garcia allegedly told his mom that he would refuse to go jail and that police would have to kill him.

Police Chief Jeri Williams asked the FBI to perform an independent civil rights review of the incident in the days after the shooting.

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