BLACK CANYON CITY, Ariz. — Deputies shot and killed a man in Black Canyon City after he tried to set up an ambush for police who had been called to his home for a domestic dispute, and opened fire on deputies, officials with the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office said.
The incident happened on School House Road around 10:30 in the evening when YCSO deputies responded to a 911 call from a woman who said her husband, Thomas Henzler, was drunk and had shot at their ceiling to "get her attention."
Dispatchers heard Henzler telling his wife that he was going to shoot at officers to "do a suicide by cop," according to a report from the sheriff's office.
According to that same report, the woman told dispatch that Henzler knew law enforcement was on their way and had started to set up an ambush at the bridge that led to their home.
The woman was able to stay on the phone and kept authorities updated on where her husband was and what he was doing as he went back and forth from the house to the bridge to get more ammo.
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YCSO responded alongside the Department of Public Safety, and deputies requested a tactical team after learning that Henzler was trying to force his wife to go to the ambush site with him, officials said.
Officials say that the woman was able to leave the house by herself and opened the gate. Deputies tried to call Henzler, who was still in the house, but he didn't respond.
Roughly an hour later, Henzler left the house and approached deputies. When he got near them, he opened fire. Deputies returned fire, and shot Henzler.
Authorities say that Henzler died from his injuries, but did not specify if he was taken to a hospital or died on the scene of the shooting.
DPS will be handling an independent investigation of the officer-involved shooting, which authorities expect to happen over the next few weeks.
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