A man who was shot by two Tucson police officers following an altercation at a south-side hookah lounge died from his wounds, authorities said.
On Aug. 20 just before 3:30 a.m., police received a 911 call about an altercation at a hookah lounge, located at the 3700 block of South 16th Avenue, that involved a firearm. While officers spoke to the person who made the call, they were notified about a fight taking place inside the lounge, according to a news release from the Pima Regional Critical Incident Team, which is investigating the incident.
Multiple patrons were seen running away from the lounge into the parking lot as officers approached the lounge. Officers then encountered Adum Mahamat, 25, who was reportedly holding a handgun, the news release said.
Officers ordered Mahamat to drop his gun, but he did not comply and two officers fired their guns, striking him.
Officers rendered aid and took him to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, according to the news release, which was released Friday.
The two officers who fired their guns were identified as Officer Angela Gist, a 15-year veteran of the police department, and Officer Alexander Martin, a four-year veteran of the department, the news release said.
The incident was captured by the officers’ body-worn cameras as well as surveillance and witness videos.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department has been assigned primary responsibility for the criminal investigation into this officer-involved shooting. The police department’s Office of Professional Standards will conduct a separate, but parallel, administrative investigation to examine the actions of the officers.
