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Phoenix Police Identify Man Killed After West Phoenix Standoff as Justin Carl Schmidt

The Arizona Department of Public Safety will conduct the standard review of the officer-involved shooting.

Overview

  • Police say the March 15 incident began around 6 a.m. at an apartment near 43rd Avenue and Medlock Drive during a domestic violence call.
  • Officers used a Halligan tool to force open a locked back patio gate and rescue a woman and her young child who were trapped outside.
  • The man inside fired multiple rounds from apartment windows and shot at a police drone, after which officers returned fire during an hour‑long barricade.
  • SWAT deployed a second drone, located the man inside with a gunshot injury, and he was later pronounced dead at the scene, with no other injuries reported.
  • Investigators have not yet specified how many officers fired or the sequence of shots, and DPS is leading the inquiry as part of routine protocol.