Man shot by Peoria police during short pursuit, officials say

A man was shot by a Peoria police officer after he pointed a gun at the officer during a pursuit near 91st and Peoria avenues, officials said.

At about 10:40 p.m. Monday, officers attempted to make contact with a man who was outside a closed business and was acting suspiciously, Peoria police spokesperson Officer Kristopher Babros said. An officer saw the man reach into his waistband and was concerned he was possibly attempting to break into the business, officials added.

The man ran away, crossing through a Circle K parking lot, and then pointed a handgun at the officer, Babros said. The officer then shot the man in the torso, Babros said.

The man, who has not been identified, was taken to a hospital with lifethreatening injuries, Babros said.

Peoria police Chief Thomas Intrieri said at a Tuesday news conference that it wasn’t immediately clear whether the man, who is 43 years old, fired at the officer.

Intrieri noted that it was the third police shooting in the city in 2023 — one by Phoenix police — which was more than what Peoria normally sees within a month, but he didn’t have data available on how often the city sees police shootings on average.

“I think it’s important to note that the dangers and the threats that are out in our society today — that our police officers are trained and equipped and supported in moving forward out into the public on a daily basis in order to provide a safe and secure community for all of us to live in — is being met with a greater frequency that we have not experienced in the recent past,” Intrieri said.

No officers or bystanders were injured in the shooting. Officials said the officer was wearing a body camera at the time of the shooting.

The Glendale Police Department was investigating the shooting as part of the West Valley Investigative Response Team, police said in a news release.