A Tucson police officer shot and wounded a knife-wielding man who was acting erratically and refused to drop his weapon, a police spokesman said.
The officer was not injured in the incident Saturday afternoon on the cityβs west side, near βAβ Mountain.
Police spokesman Sgt. Pete Dugan gave the following account:
Police received a 911 call about 4:30 p.m. asking for a welfare check on a man who was reported to be acting strangely at a home in the 100 block of South Bella Vista Drive.
An officer from the downtown operations division, who holds advanced training in crisis intervention, arrived and saw that the man he was looking for was outside the home and armed with a knife.
The officer made continuous commands for the man to drop the knife. The man did not comply, and the officer fired his gun, striking him.
Other officers at the scene immediately rendered first aid, stopping the bleeding from the gunshot wound or wounds, before Tucson Fire arrived, continued the first aid, and took the man to a hospital for treatment of serious injuries.
The man, who is in his late 20s, was listed Saturday night in stable condition.
Police did not release the name of the man who was shot or of the officer, as the investigation continues.
Dugan said he also could not yet say how many times the officer fired and could not give details of the manβs wounds.
