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Armed man

Peoria police shot dead gunman, they say pointing at officers

Dorothy R. Dixon

The Peoria Police Department said two officers shot dead a gunman after responding to a domestic violence call early Sunday morning.

Sgt. Brandon Sheffert, a police spokesperson, said officers were responding to reports of a man attempting to strangle someone around 79th Drive near Cactus Road at around 3:45 a.m. when a man identified like Adrian Begay, 25, approached officers with a gun and pointed it at his head.

Sheffert said the officers tried to negotiate with Begay for several minutes until Begay pointed the gun at the officers. Each officer shot Begay at least once, hitting him.

Officers and later firefighters took action to save lives on Begay, before he died at the scene. Sheffert said none of the officers were injured in the shooting and their body cameras were activated.

Sheffert said the Buckeye Police Department will investigate the incident as part of the West Valley Investigative Response Team – a task force made up of law enforcement agencies that has been created earlier this year to prevent an agency from investigating its own shooting.

Services for Arizona residents in crisis include:

  • National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-SAFE (7233)
  • Dial 2-1-1 anytime to access the free 2-1-1 Arizona information and referral service and connect to free resources available locally throughout the state. The same number will connect callers to the free Resilient Arizona crisis counseling program.
  • Solari Crisis & Human Services offers free 24/7 emergency lines. Dial 800-631-1314 for Maricopa County and 877-756-4090 for northern Arizona. Help is also available via text message from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday. and 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Sat-Sun by sending “hope” to 4HOPE.
  • The National Suicide Prevention Line is available 24/7 at 1-800-273-8255 in English and 1-888-628-9454 in Spanish. It is free and confidential for people in distress who need prevention or crisis resources for themselves or for their loved ones.

Contact reporter Perry Vandell at 602-444-2474 or [email protected]. Follow him on twitter @PerryVandell.

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