Body Camera Video Released of Teen Shot by Officer in Arizona

A Tempe Police Department officer shot and killed a 14-year-old during a dispatch after the suspect fled with a gun in his hand. The incident took place in Arizona on Jan. 15, and a briefing was held on Jan. 18 by Tempe Chief of Police Sylvia Moir. It was later found that the gun the suspect had was an airsoft gun.

The officer’s body cam video was also released by the police department. Before the police chief began the briefing of the incident, she took the time to apologize to the family for their loss. She clarified that she couldn’t say the name of the teen because he is a minor.

Officer Jaen responded to a report of a suspicious grey Chevy pickup truck parked in an alley, that was linked to a burglary that day, said Moir during a conference uploaded by azfamily. Jean arrived and parked in front of the Chevy in a marked police vehicle, wearing his standard patrol uniform and body camera.

Jean moved behind a plastic bin after exiting his vehicle and watched the driver as he moved around inside the truck. After noticing that the driver had a gun, he pulled out his gun and stayed hidden behind the bin, watching the driver.

On the Run and in Pursuit

Moir said that “it appeared that that suspect saw officer Jaen, as he exited the truck—and our officer yelled at the suspect.” The suspect was not in view of the camera for a brief period: this is when the suspect started to run down the alley, away from the officer.

The officer ran to the rear of the truck and yelled at the suspect, telling him to show him his hands, but the suspect continued to run with the gun in his hand. At that moment, the officer shot two rounds: one hitting the boy in the shoulder blade area, and the other missing him, striking the wall at the end of the alley.

After firing, he alerted other officers of the altercation involving a gun and ran after him. He found the suspect lying between the sidewalk and the street, said Moir. The officer then called for a medical rescue for the suspect. He was declared dead at the hospital.

A ‘Rapidly Evolving Situation’

The officer was criticized by the family and neighbors of the now deceased Antonio Arce. The family says that the officer used excessive force, and didn’t have to resort to killing Arce.

“It doesn’t matter if it was a child of 14 years old or a person who is 50, there are many other ways to find solutions to things like this instead of murdering people,” said Arce’s father, according to azcentral.

Moir stated in the press conference that Arce had stolen the airsoft gun from the grey Chevy truck. Two witnesses reported seeing the suspect run through the alley with, what they thought, was a firearm. He was also in possession of other stolen items from the truck.

Officer Jaen has been a police officer for 17 years, he was a member of the National Guard from 2007 to 2013, and he served in Iraq in 2011. The full name of the officer was not disclosed at the conference. The case is under investigation.