BODYCAM: Suspect Fatally Shot For Charging Officers With Screwdrivers

Glendale police released edited footage of what they say led to the fatal shooting of a man suspected of breaking into a home in Glendale and advancing at police with tools in May.Show more

Police responded to a burglary alarm at a home near 59th and Northern avenues just before 8 a.m. on May 3. Surveillance footage from the home released by Glendale police shows 45-year-old Mariano Villegas walking on a grass yard of the property.

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In the footage, Villegas waves at the camera and says "here's my face, showing."

After this, a relative of the homeowner arrived at the residence and found Villegas, who police said went into the garage of the home.

Police found Villegas in the garage and said he told officers they would have to "shoot him" to get him out, according to Sgt. Randy Stewart, a spokesperson for Glendale police.

SWAT and K-9 units arrived and attempted a peaceful negotiation, Stewart said. Footage shows a few officers standing in front of the garage next to two Glendale police vehicles.

During the negotiations, Stewart said Villegas tried to barricade himself with a refrigerator in the garage. After about an hour of negotiating, officers entered the garage and found Villegas inside of a car in the garage, Stewart said.

Stewart said officers attempt to break the rear window of the vehicle open to communicate with Villegas.

Dashboard camera from one of the police vehicles shows one officer hitting what Stewart said is a vehicle inside the garage while another officer points a gun in the direction of the same car.

Police are heard in the video saying "drop your hands" and "hands up" multiple times as the officer tries breaking the car window.

Police video then shows the two officers backing up as the officer with the gun shoots four times in the direction of the vehicle.

Stewart said Villegas jumped out of the car while officers were trying to break the window and advanced at police with several tools in hand. Villegas and the vehicle in the garage were not visible in police footage.

Four photos in the edited police video of the incident show what appears to be two screwdrivers, a vice grip and shears. Stewart said these tools were found near Villegas after the shooting.

Body-worn camera footage from another officer shows other police near the garage, but also does not show Villegas or the vehicle in the garage.

Officers attempted CPR on Villegas, but he was later pronounced dead at a local hospital, Stewart said.

All uniformed officers are assigned body-worn cameras, Stewart said. But "because of the sensitivity of the work" and "undercover operations," SWAT officers are not currently assigned cameras, which is why no video from the perspective of the officer who fatally shot Villegas is available for viewing, Stewart added. - ThisIsButter

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