Critical Incident Briefing - October 1, 2020 - 7th St. & Carter Circle In Phoenix

Press release from the City of Phoenix:

October 15, 2020

The Phoenix Police Department released a Critical Incident Briefing (CIB) video that includes audio, visuals and information related to an officer-involved shooting which occurred in the area of 7th Street and Baseline at about 9:00 p.m. on October 1, 2020.

The suspect in this case has been identified as 29-year-old Martin Leyva. That night, 911 received a call from a man who had said that the suspect had driven into a cul-de-sac recklessly and fired a handgun. The caller was also able to provide a physical description of the suspect.

Once the officers located the residence where the suspect was reported to be, they positioned the spotlight from their patrol car on the residence and walked up to the house.

As the officers got close to the front yard, they saw Leyva, who matched the description provided by the caller, lying down by the front door of the home.

As Leyva started to stand up, the officers said they saw he had a handgun tucked in his waistband. The officers began giving commands to Leyva when he reached toward his waist. Both officers discharged their firearms, striking Leyva.

After the shooting, officers attempted to get to Leyva but could not because of two large dogs in the front yard. They waited for additional units, and Leyva was able to walk to the officers. The officers then transported Leyva to get medical assistance.

In the front yard where Leyva had been, officers located his handgun and a shell casing.Leyva remains hospitalized for his injuries.

The two officers involved in this Critical Incident are assigned to the South Mountain Precinct. The first officer is 26 years old and has 2 years of service and the second officer is 24 years old and also has two years of service.

Conclusions about whether the actions of the officers are consistent with department policy and the law will not be made until all facts are known and the investigation is complete. An internal investigation by the Professional Standard Bureau is currently underway, in addition to a criminal investigation. Once the criminal investigation is complete it will then be reviewed by the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.

Public records law required redaction of certain personal identifying information before video is released publicly. This is why you see some parts of Body Worn Camera (BWC) blurred or covered with a black box. Unedited, redacted video is released to local media in conjunction with the release of this Critical Incident Briefing for independent review and publication. Complete, unedited versions of the BWC are released to attorneys and the courts as evidence in a criminal case.

Please be advised, the attached video may contain strong language as well as graphic images which may be disturbing to some people. Viewer discretion is advised.

This press release was produced by the City of Phoenix. The views expressed here are the author’s own.