Joseph Ortiz (Courtesy: Department of Corrections)
MESA, Ariz. - A man shot by police on U.S. 60 last summer after attempting a knifepoint kidnapping was sentenced Thursday to seven and a half years in prison.
What we know:
Joseph Ortiz, 38, received the prison term on June 25 after pleading guilty to domestic violence charges of aggravated assault and kidnapping. The sentencing resolves a case stemming from an August 2025 pursuit and officer-involved shooting that shut down the East Valley highway for more than 13 hours.
This browser does not support the Video element.
Officer-involved shooting shuts down traffic for hours
A police shooting shut down an East Valley highway and a witness talks to FOX 10 about what happened.
A Maricopa County Superior Court judge also ordered Ortiz to serve three years of supervised probation following his release from prison. He received 287 days of credit for time already served in jail.
The backstory:
The incident began on Aug. 10, 2025, when Mesa police responded to a domestic dispute at an apartment complex near Country Club Drive. Officers said Ortiz kicked in a door, grabbed a kitchen knife and tried to force a woman into a pickup truck.
When police spotted his car, Ortiz fled onto westbound U.S. 60. Officers attempted a PIT maneuver, which forced Ortiz to stop on the shoulder of the Alma School Road on-ramp, where he abandoned the vehicle and ran into traffic.
Ortiz weaved through active lanes of cars and jumped the median. Officers tried to stop him with a stun gun, but failed. When Ortiz reached for his waistband, a Mesa police officer opened fire, striking him at least once.
Police investigate the scene where Joseph Ortiz was shot by officers following a pursuit on Aug. 10, 2025. (FOX 10)
Ortiz was hospitalized and survived his injuries. According to investigators, he dropped the knife prior to being shot.
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from Maricopa County Superior Court and the Mesa Police Department.