Avondale Police Officer Shoots Shoplifting Suspect After Confrontation

* (Disclaimer: This video content is intended for educational and informational purposes only) * Avondale, Arizona — On February 21, 2023, around 12:30 p.m. police were called to a Family Dollar store near Dysart Road and Riley Drive for a reported shoplifting. A description of the man was given to police. Employees told officers that the same person had shoplifted from the store twice that day. Police said that a man matching the description was seen by an officer at the Agua Fria River bottom near 10th Street and Riley Drive. After activating his body camera, the video shows the officer approaching the suspect and telling him to keep his hands where he can see them. Police say the officer saw what appeared to be a “sharp tool” in the suspect’s waistband. He then attempts to put the suspect in handcuffs, getting one of the cuffs around his left hand before a struggle ensues. The body cam is obscured during the first few seconds before showing the officer on his back on the ground and the suspect s