Updated on June 30, 2023 at 6:03 p.m.
TPD identified the man as 35-year-old Nathaniel McKowen, who was threatening to harm himself, was armed with a pair of kitchen shears, and was attempting to make enter a residence.
McKowen had previously made suicidal statements days before the incident.
As officers arrived, McKowen was found outside a residence in the parking area.
He was holding the shears toward his wrist.
Officers tried to de-escalate the situation by talking to him and asking him to put the weapon down.
McKowen ignored the officers and started walking towards East Blacklidge Drive, which is a residential street that contained passing drivers.
An officer used a less lethal PepperBall device to strike McKowen at that moment, he continued into the street.
When an officer used a less lethal PepperBall device to strike McKowen at that moment, he continued into the street.
On East Blacklidge Drive, heading toward North Palo Verde Avenue, McKowen started to sprint.
Officers chased McKowen while continuing to order him to put the weapon down. McKowen suddenly stopped turned around, and charged at officers while holding the shears.
An officer tased McKowen. A second officer fired his department-issued weapon at the same time, but McKowen was not hit.
Officers grabbed the shears away from McKowen and handcuffed him after he had fallen to the ground after the taser was used.
McKowen was medically evaluated on scene and treated for minor injuries, not requiring transport to a hospital.
No officers or other community members were injured as a result of this incident.
The officer who fired his weapon has been identified as Officer Anthony Biondo, a 1-year veteran of the Tucson Police Department.
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Authorities are investigating an officer-involved shooting that happened around 7:30 Wednesday night at the 3500 block of East Blacklidge Drive in Midtown.
Officers were called to the scene after a report of a man in crisis. When police arrived, they found the man outside a home holding an edged weapon.
According to TPD, following attempts to communicate with the man, he walked away prompting an officer to use a pepperball device to de-escalate the situation. When that did not work the man began to run away. He would then turn around and run toward officers while holding the edged weapon. One officer then deployed his Taser at the same time as another discharged his handgun.
The man fell to the ground and was detained. First aid was provided and the man did not require hospital treatment.
The Pima Regional Critical Incident Team will handle the criminal investigation of the incident.
