MESA — A man who ran from a traffic stop was shot and killed by two Mesa police officers early Tuesday, Oct. 27, after a short foot chase, police said.
It started at about 1:45 a.m. with a routine stop for a traffic violation near University Drive and Extension Road. According to Mesa police Det. Robert Katz, the driver sped away mid-conversation with officers, Arizona’s Family reported.
Officers found the vehicle less than a mile away near 6th Street and Country Club Drive and saw the driver running. During the chase, just before 2 a.m., two officers fired their weapons and struck the man, who died at the scene, according to police and ABC15.
Police said a gun was found next to the man. Investigators are still trying to determine whether he pointed it at officers, and how many other people were in the vehicle. No officers were hurt, and Katz said there is no ongoing threat to the public.
The Gilbert Police Department is leading the investigation as part of the East Valley Critical Incident Response Team. Arizona’s Family reported it is the 40th police shooting in Maricopa County this year and the 69th statewide. Southbound Country Club Drive between 5th and 6th streets was closed during the investigation.
Sources: ABC15, Arizona’s Family. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: Ixnayonthetimmay / CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
