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Tolleson Police shoot man waving knife in hotels, threatening bystanders
A man waving a knife at bystanders near 91st Avenue and McDowell Road was taken to a hospital after an officer-involved shooting inside a hotel lobby. FOX 10's Jacob Luthi reports.
TOLLESON, Ariz. - Tolleson Police were involved in a shooting at a hotel on Saturday evening.
What we know:
Phoenix Police responded to reports of a man waving a knife at an apartment complex near 91st Avenue and McDowell Road at around 5:45 p.m. on Oct. 17. As Phoenix PD were responding, they learned that Tolleson Police had previously encountered the armed individual at the complex. Additional callers reported the man was then at a nearby hotel, waving the knife and running towards bystanders.
More callers reported the man was heading to another hotel, a LaQuinta Inn, allegedly threatening people inside the lobby, while still armed with the knife. When the suspect encountered Tolleson officers, that's when the officer-involved shooting occurred with Tolleson Police.
The suspect was taken to a nearby hospital.
Only one officer was involved in the shooting. No officers were hurt.
What they're saying:
"I was about to go shoot some pool, and a gentleman walked in. But there had been a lot of people coming in and out, so I didn’t think too much of it until I heard him say to the receptionist, ‘Don’t make me do this,'" a bystander inside one of the hotels said. "When he did that, I looked up, and I saw a gentleman with no shirt on. He turned around, looked at me, and asked if I was with them. I said, ‘With who?’ He goes, ‘With them.’"
The witness described the suspect's weapon, as he recounted the incident.
"He had a big ol’ Rambo-style knife in his hand, and he told me, ‘You know what? You’re going to die today.’"
What we don't know:
The armed individual's identity was not released.
What's next:
The West Valley Incident Response team will conduct the investigation.
Map of the nearby area of the officer-involved shooting.
The Source: Information in this report was provided by the Tolleson Police Department and the Phoenix Police Department.