AVONDALE, Ariz. — Detectives from the Peoria Police Department have been attempting to identify a man killed in a shooting with Avondale police officers on Feb. 21 near 10th Street and East Riley Drive in Avondale.
The man has been described as:
- African American male
- 5’6’’ tall
- 135 pounds
- Black hair styled in twists about 5-inches long
- Brown eyes
- Spaces between his upper front teeth
- Piercing in his left ear
- He was found wearing three pairs of pants, two homemade necklaces, two beaded bracelets, two pairs of socks and crocs
A facial sketch created by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children forensic artist that depicts what the man may have looked like has been released by police.
“We have exhausted all of our leads," said Officer Kristopher Babros with Peoria PD, the agency conducting the outside investigation into the shooting. "Our last resort is to reach out to the public and see if they can help us out.”
The Avondale Police Department had responded to a Family Dollar store Feb. 21 on a report of shoplifting where the suspect was believed to have shoplifted from the same store earlier in the day. Officers located the possible suspect at the Agua Fria River bottom near the area of 10th and Riley, Avondale police said.
As an officer approached the male, the man was observed to have a possible sharp tool on his waistband which later turned out to be one of three knives in the male’s possession, police said. The officer advised the male to keep his hands where the officer could see them and attempted to detain the male by placing one handcuff on his left arm. The male then began resisting arrest and a struggle took place.
As the struggle ensued, the officer reported that the male began choking the officer while the officer was on the ground on his back. The officer reported the male attempted to reach for his duty weapon, which was still holstered.
The officer managed to return to his feet and reported the male again attempted to grab his throat. As the suspect appeared to start running away, the officer then shot the man.
As a result of the struggle, the officer sustained injuries to his left hand and neck and was transported to a nearby hospital and received treatment for non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
The officer involved in this matter is assigned to the patrol division and has six6 years of service with the Avondale Police Department and is currently on administrative leave.
As part of a West Valley Investigative Response Team, the Peoria Police Department was assigned as the lead agency for this criminal investigation.
Peoria police said it has completed its investigation and has turned over the case to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office for review.
Avondale police said it is conducting its own internal investigation into the shooting, and it is still ongoing.
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