Recently-released body camera footage shows the moment an Arizona SWAT team fatally shot an armed suspect who pointed his gun at the head of the K-9 who took him down.
According to footage shard by the Tucson Police Department on Facebook, officers with the department’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team were conducting surveillance on Francisco Galarza, 49, who was wanted for felony home invasion and bank robbery.
The video shows police demanding Galarza “get down,” but Galarza ignores the officers and attempts to flee. While running, Galarza pulls out a handgun. Seconds later, the SWAT team’s K-9 takes Galarza down. Galarza is then seen pointing his gun at the K-9s head, as well as the officers. It was at this point two officers shot Galarza multiple times.
The department said officers “immediately provided medical attention to Mr. Galarza using their individual first aid kits until Tucson Fire Department personnel arrived.”
Galarza was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department and Marana Police Department are conducting a criminal investigation into the police-involved shooting “to see if criminal violations occurred.” The Tucson Police Department is also conducting its own separate administrative investigation into the incident.
“Investigations involving the use of force can take a significant amount of time. Investigators are tasked with reviewing video, interviewing multiple witnesses, examining forensic evidence, and reviewing hundreds of pages of transcripts and reports. This investigation is ongoing, which may reveal additional facts,” the Tucson Police Department said in the Facebook video.
More recently released body camera video shows the moment a former United States Marine was fatally shot by police. The Marine was carrying an AR-15 rifle in his own backyard in North Las Vegas at the time.
“It’s sad that it ended that way,” said neighbor Alana McAllister, 41. “I don’t think he deserved to die in his backyard like that.”
