Phoenix Critical Incident Briefing: Officer-Involved Shooting Near 19th Avenue And Dunlap Avenue

Press release from the City of Phoenix:

December 16, 2020

The Phoenix Police Department released a Critical Incident Briefing (CIB) video that includes information, audio, video and pictures related to an officer-involved shooting (OIS) that occurred on December 3, 2020, at approximately 3:40 a.m. in the area of 19th Avenue and Dunlap Avenue.

This incident started with a 911 call where the caller reported hearing people fighting and a gun shot at an apartment complex near 19th Avenue and Dunlap.

When officers arrived on scene, they found an adult man dead lying on a sidewalk near the apartments.

Officers focused on a vacant apartment where witnesses said a suspect may be inside. They established communication, remaining outside but making announcements for anyone inside to come out. Eventually, five people exited the apartment.

Officers continued making announcements for anyone inside the apartment to exit.

While one team was in front of the apartment, another in the rear broke a window to get a better view inside but did not see anyone. About an hour after first arriving on scene, the officers made the decision to enter the apartment, led by police K9 Dennis.

The officers continued to identify themselves as Phoenix Police Officers as they prepared to enter the apartment looking for anyone still inside. Dennis enters the home first, searching the living room and kitchen. Officers then enter the apartment and the K9 moves further back toward the bedrooms. That's when the suspect, 42 year-old Maurice Jackson, began shooting, hitting Dennis.

No officers fired any shots inside of the apartment.

As Dennis and his handler rushed to the vet, the other officers exited the apartment with one team set up to the south, and one to the west. Both teams of officers had a clear view of the front door.

Less than a minute after shooting the K9, Jackson exited the apartment armed with a handgun, yelled something and advanced towards officers. Both Jackson and five officers fired their weapons. Jackson was struck by gunfire and fell to the ground.

After the shooting, officers utilized less lethal bean bag rounds and a second K9 to safely extract Jackson away from his firearm and out of the direct line of sight of the apartment, which still had not been deemed safe. Officers transported Jackson out of the immediate area to the Phoenix Fire Department, where he was pronounced deceased.

The handgun Jackson used was located next to where he fell, along with a knife and brass knuckles that he was wearing at the time of the shooting.

A fully marked police vehicle, positioned directly behind two of the officers who fired at Jackson, was struck by Jackson's gunfire.

K9 Dennis was taken to an emergency veterinary clinic with gunshot wounds to his mouth, neck and chest cavity. He is expected to make a full recovery.

The investigation revealed Jackson was the suspect from the original shooting homicide the officers responded to that evening.

There were five officers involved in the shooting, all assigned as patrol officers in the Desert Horizon Precinct. Two officers have two years of service, and three of the officers have four years of service with the department.

This incident is the subject of both an internal and a criminal investigation, which will be reviewed by the Maricopa County Attorney's Office. 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.

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.