CHANDLER, Ariz. — A woman died after being shot by police who were responding to a call of domestic violence in Chandler after neighbors heard things breaking in a nearby apartment, according to Chandler Police Department officials.
Officers responded to the call near Germann and Dobson roads just after 1:30 p.m. and also heard loud noises coming from the residence. A woman, who has been identified as 49-year-old Lorie Martha O'Neal, came out with a gun, did not listen to officers' commands and was shot, officials said. O'Neal died shortly after, Detective Eva Zermeno said.
One resident who lives at the apartment complex captured the moments a police officer fired four gunshots at O'Neal. Susie Delancey said she was working from home when she heard yelling outside her window. When she looked out she saw a police officer armed with a rifle.
“He was just shouting to her trying to give her orders, commands," Delancey said. "He waited a long time in my opinion before he did anything.”
In the video, you can hear the officer tell O'Neal to drop the gun and that he didn't want to hurt her. After about a minute of repeated attempts to get her to comply, gunshots rang out.
“I just felt so sad," Delancey said. "I just couldn’t believe it, I was so shocked."
No officers were injured and there's currently no threat to the community, Chandler police said.
When they entered the suspect's apartment, Detective Zermeno said no one else was inside. The loud noises appeared to be from the suspect breaking items in the apartment.
The East Valley Critical Incident Response Team will investigate the shooting.
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