Man fatally shot by deputies in Black Canyon City

The Yavapai County Sheriff ’s Office said several of its deputies fatally shot a man after he opened fire at them Friday evening outside of a Black Canyon City home.

The man was identified by the Sheriff ’s Office as Thomas Henzler.

Authorities said deputies were dispatched to the home on School House Road after the man’s wife called law enforcement about 10:30 p.m. and told them Henzler was drunk and that he had fired a bullet into the ceiling to get her attention.

The wife also told law enforcement that Henzler knew that she would call them, and she told them that he began to set up an ambush at the home’s only access point, which was a bridge with a remote-only gate, the Sheriff ’s Office said.

Law enforcement noted the wife was able to keep the 911 dispatcher on the phone without her husband knowing so that she could keep them updated on where he was as he moved between the bridge and the house to grab more ammunition.

Sheriff ’s Office dispatchers also heard Henzler telling his wife that he would shoot at law enforcement to “do a suicide by cop,” and authorities learned he was trying to force her to go to the ambush site with him.

The Sheriff ’s Office said deputies arrived at the scene with the Arizona Department of Public Safety and requested a tactical team in preparation for a potential hostage situation. Because of the remote location of the house, DPS called out its air ranger to assist, the Sheriff ’s Office said.

The wife left the house by herself and opened the gate. However, Henzler was still inside the house and did not respond to law enforcement officers who called out to him, the Sheriff’s Office said. He left the house about an hour later and opened fire at deputies, causing them to return fire and fatally shoot him, the Sheriff ’s Office said.

The Sheriff’s Office said it had contacted DPS to do an independent investigation.