Armed Suspect Wounded in Mesa Family Dispute

On September 18, 2025, just after midnight, Mesa Police Department officers responded to a 911 call reporting a family disturbance at a residence in the 900 block of South Pasadena Street, near Mesa Drive and Southern Avenue in Mesa, Arizona. The caller described a heated argument escalating into potential violence, prompting a swift dispatch of two patrol units.
Upon arrival, officers approached the home cautiously, announcing their presence. A 33-year-old man emerged from the front door, visibly agitated. Witnesses and police reports indicate he was armed with a handgun and, without warning, raised it toward the officers in a pointing gesture. Fearing imminent threat to their lives, at least one officer fired multiple rounds from their service weapon, striking the suspect in the upper body.

The man collapsed on the porch, dropping the weapon. Officers immediately rendered aid, applying tourniquets and pressure to wounds while calling for paramedics. No bystanders or family members inside the home were harmed, and both responding officers escaped uninjured. The suspect was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition but was later stabilized and expected to survive.

The firearm recovered at the scene was confirmed as a real handgun, not a replica, though its functionality is under forensic analysis. Preliminary investigations revealed the family fight stemmed from a domestic dispute involving alcohol; no prior police history was noted for the address, but the man had outstanding misdemeanor warrants unrelated to violence.