Body-cam shows Phoenix police shooting armed man during domestic violence call

Edited body-cam shows Phoenix police officers shooting an armed man after concerned neighbors reported he was abusing a woman on June 27. The suspect, Rakim Durham, was shot by police at an apartment complex near 52nd Street and Thomas Road. Durham died from his injuries three days later.

Just after 4:30 p.m., a woman called 911 after hearing her neighbors fighting and was worried because the woman was small and had two kids in the apartment. She told the dispatcher Durham carries a gun and wears body armor. “He wears a bulletproof vest every day,” she said.

She explained to the dispatcher she’s heard the same thing happen multiple times, but the woman told her not to call the police. “The girl told her not to check on her or anything because it makes it worse with the guy,” she said. The officers arrive at the apartment complex as the woman tells the dispatcher the couple has gone silent. A sergeant told the officers to go back on patrol after no witnesses saw a fight.

However, after 5 p.m., the woman called 911 again, asking why officers weren’t at the complex. “We’ve been waiting for an officer to come save this girl; she’s been getting beat up by her dude,” said the woman. “I’ve waited 10 minutes; I ain’t seen no police officer walk up. She’s screaming, ‘help, help, help!’ He’s beating her; she’s little, she’s skin and bones.”

An officer and sergeant then went to the complex and saw Durham on the second-floor landing and a group of people, including children, right below him. One person then tells officers that Durhan was pointing a gun at them. The officer then notices Durham has a gun in his hand. “Hey, put that gun down! Put that freaking gun down!” the officer yells. The two then began shooting at Durham as he went inside the apartment.

Officers ran upstairs and began yelling at Durham to put his hands up. “Hands up, crawl to me!” says one officer. Durham sticks his hands out but stays in the doorway of the apartment. “I need you to crawl away from the door,” says the officer.

Officers start walking toward the apartment, and a woman comes out, crying to officers to help her babies. “My babies, my babies,” says the woman. Officers went inside and found Durham unconscious. Another officer found the two kids in another room and safely got them out.

The gun Durham was carrying was found near the front door. No officers, neighbors or kids were hurt during the shooting.