Body camera video released of fatal Phoenix shooting of 20-year-old man in mental health crisis

PHOENIX – Newly released Phoenix police body camera video shows the moments officers opened fire on 20-year-old Jonathan Delgado as he ran toward them while holding a knife.

The backstory:

Delgado was killed in the encounter Sept. 6 after his family said they called police for help while he was experiencing a mental health crisis. The video shows Phoenix police responding to an alley near 19th Avenue and West Cheryl Drive at around 11 a.m. 

“So my nephew is trying to hurt himself. He’s at an alley. He had a knife and he’s trying to hurt himself,” a family member says in the 911 call. 

Police said the response included multiple officers, including one trained to interact with people experiencing a mental health crisis.

Bodycam Video:

“We’re just here to help you, we’re just trying to help,” an officer can be heard saying in the video.

In the video, Delgado can be seen in the distance. Police said he was holding a knife and appeared to be cutting himself. 

Police said officers followed Delgado and repeatedly told him to drop the knife. 

“The officers were communicating what they were witnessing, how they were advancing, and clear commands to the subject,” a former Texas police chief and 20-year Phoenix PD veteran Jeff Halstead said. 

The video then shows Delgado turning and walking toward officers. Police said officers deployed a Taser, but Delgado did not stop and then ran toward them.

“This was a wide open alley with limited cover for these officers, meaning areas that they could hide behind and/or change the direction of the threat,” said Halstead.

The video captures the sound of gunshots, and Delgado falling to the ground. 

Weapons Fired:

Two officers fired their weapons, striking Delgado, according to police. Police said Delgado dropped the knife, and officers moved toward him to provide first aid. Phoenix Fire Department crews arrived and pronounced Delgado dead.

Deglado’s aunt told FOX 10 on the day of the incident that she regretted ever calling police. 

Police said no officers or other community members were injured.

Halstead, who told FOX 10 he had watched the video several times, said the gap between the officers and the suspect close quickly, so there was little more the officers could have done at that moment. 

“You’re looking at what you think is an extremely, large distance, getting closed extremely quickly on a threatening level, someone with a deadly instrument coming right at you,” Halstead added.

He said there are no easy answers when a call for help ends this way.

“Those three officers are going to be impacted by this with a significant level of stress as well as the loved ones of the subject they were calling for,” Halstead said. 

Dig deeper:

The two officers who fired their weapons have five and seven years of service with the Phoenix Police Department, police said.

The shooting is being investigated by the Arizona Department of Public Safety and will be reviewed by the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. Phoenix police are also conducting an administrative investigation.

Map of the area where the Sept. 6 shooting occurred.

Crime and Public SafetyNorth PhoenixNews