Authorities have identified the three Tucson police officers involved in the fatal shooting of a man during a domestic disturbance call on Dec. 7 at a southside apartment complex.
The officers involved in the incident were identified as: Sergeant Nicolo A. Solarino, a seven-year veteran of the Tucson Police Department; Officer Vicente Valenzuela, a four-year veteran of the department; and Lead Police Officer Rudolpho Tomas Gallego, a five-year veteran of the department.
Shortly before 2 a.m., officers went to an apartment complex at 5500 block of South Forgeus Avenue, near South Tucson Boulevard and East Drexel Road, after several calls about a domestic disturbance.
The first call said a man had forced his way into the victimβs apartment, police said.
Police say they learned the man was acting erratic, was armed with a knife and had forced his way back into the residence. While he was inside, police say he stabbed several objects and fought with a neighbor.
Officers found the man in front of the apartment holding a knife while the victim hid inside, police say. The victim was unable to lock the front door because of damage it sustained during the incident.
The man ignored several demands to drop the knife. Police say they used a nonlethal beanbag shotgun to try and get the man to drop the knife.
The effort was unsuccessful, and police say they shot the man as he tried to get back into the apartment.
Officers then tried to save the man, but he died at the scene. He was identified Tuesday as Kevin James Wallace, 34.
No one else was wounded in the incident.
The Pima County Regional Critical Incident Team is handling the criminal investigation of this incident. Tucson police will conduct an internal investigation.
