Overview
- Prosecutors say the Aug. 5 traffic stop in south Phoenix involved officers Antonio Felix and Luis Vasquez Jr. using a patrol vehicle to stop a car, smashing a window, repeatedly using a Taser and threatening the driver with a gun.
- Investigators found no activated body‑worn camera footage, no incident report and no supervisor notifications, and say a forensic download of a department Taser showed multiple activations that corroborated victim statements.
- The two officers were interviewed, placed on administrative leave, fired and arrested on Saturday before being released on secured bond, and Maricopa County filed a direct complaint on Aug. 25 that adds or modifies felony counts including kidnapping and aggravated assault.
- Phoenix Police Chief Matt Giordano has ordered personnel‑history reviews and tasked the department’s Integrity Unit with a deeper audit of the South Mountain Precinct as city leaders press for answers.
- Public AZPOST records show little or no formal discipline for the officers before their firing, and prosecutors warn a conviction would likely cost them Arizona peace‑officer certification and could affect pension benefits while raising broader concerns about precinct culture and community trust.