A man was shot by a Phoenix police officer Monday afternoon after he allegedly threatened a YMCA staff member at the Polk Street and First Avenue location, Phoenix Police officials said.
The man, who is in his early 20s and lives on the seventh floor of the YMCA, went downstairs around 3:30 p.m. to argue with an employee after being locked out of his room, Phoenix Police Sgt. Trent Crump said.
The employee proceeded to escort the man back to his room. During the elevator ride, the man threatened to kill the employee and revealed a handgun under his shirt, Crump said.
After the employee got back to the first floor, the building was put on lockdown, turning off the elevators, he said. Then the employee called police and said the man was acting “bizarre and erratic,” Crump said.
When police arrived, they found the man on the fourth floor, he said.
The man tried to pull the gun out, but an officer wrestled with him to stop him, police reported.
During the scuffle, the officer pushed the man down half a flight of stairs while another officer was on his way up the stairs, Crump said.
As the man was getting up, he was able to pull out the handgun, at which time the second officer fired one shot at the man, striking his upper body area, Crump said.
The man was then transported to a hospital for the minor gunshot wound, Crump said.
During the ride, an illegal substance was found on the man, which police are investigating as a possible factor in the incident, Crump said.
The officer who wrestled with the man sustained a minor injury to his leg, Crump said.
The University community was warned to stay away from the area through the ASU Alert System as students and faculty regularly use the building’s facilities, ASU Police Cmdr. James Hardina said.
Reach the reporter at sraymund@asu.edu
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