A Tucson police officer fired the bullet that killed a shooting suspect in the Santa Cruz River wash Wednesday afternoon, the Tucson Police Department said.
On Tuesday, Nov. 3, the department released video from body-worn cameras of the shooting.
The deceased man was identified as Charles Robert Arviso, 35, who died on the riverbed Oct. 28 after allegedly refusing to drop his gun as authorities moved in, a TPD news release said.
The death is under investigation by detectives and by the department's internal affairs unit, which is standard practice when an officer shoots someone.
In an Oct. 29 news release, TPD said officers were chasing a suspect who had just opened fire on a vehicle in a commercial parking lot at West Valencia and South Midvale Park roads.
Witnesses said the armed suspect fled toward the wash after the parking lot shooting.
As officers descended into the wash, two shots were fired in their direction and they could see a man with a gun on the riverbed, the news release said.
"Officers gave numerous commands to the suspect to drop the weapon and he responded by pointing the handgun in the direction of officers," it said.
An officer fired a shot from his rifle, but it wasn't clear initially whether Arviso was killed by a police bullet or had shot and killed himself before officers reached him, said police spokesman Sgt. Pete Dugan.
The officer was later identified as Officer John Knowlton, a 19-year veteran of the department.
