Court documents reveal the violent past of a man who was shot and killed by a Glendale police officer
Court documents reveal the violent past of a man killed by the Glendale police
A man recently released from prison was fatally shot after reportedly breaking into a house in Glendale.
GLENDALE, Ariz. – – A man just released from prison was fatally shot and killed by a Glendale police officer during an ongoing break-in.
Just before 8 a.m. on May 3, police said the alarm company had notified the homeowner, who called a family member to answer. The family member arrived at home before the officers and saw an unknown man inside.
“The officers arrived and located the suspect in the garage area. He told the police to shoot him,” said Sgt. Randy Stewart.
The SWAT team later vacated the residence and met the suspect in the garage.
“He was barricaded with a refrigerator and was in a vehicle in the garage,” said Stewart.
The SWAT team tried to negotiate a peaceful surrender and approached the vehicle shortly after 10:00 a.m.
“The suspect jumped out with hand tools and attacked the officers. One member feared for his life and his teammates and dismissed his gun,” said Stewart.
Police said they found a screwdriver, “cutting instrument” and other hand tools next to his body.
“We tried to break through the car from the outside. We tried many different ways to get him out before it became a fatal encounter. We were still trying to get him out peacefully … when he got out of the car and attacked with our officers, “said Officer Tiffany Ngalula.
The Glendale Police Department says no officers were injured.
The suspect, 45-year-old Mariano Villegas from Phoenix, was rushed to an area hospital where he later died.
Villegas had just been released from Lewis Prison on May 1 after serving time in illegal police vehicle escape and disorderly behavior.
Officials say the policeman who fired his gun was on administrative leave. The investigation is still ongoing.
A booking photo by Mariano Villegas dated May 2nd, 2021 (Glendale Police Department)
Details of the suspect’s violent past
Villegas was a convicted criminal who was released from prison over the weekend. He has a long criminal record that includes a manslaughter conviction.
He was convicted in June 2018 after being convicted of illegally escaping a police vehicle.
Court documents reveal that Villegas led the police in a brief car chase after a Phoenix resident accused him of swinging a bolt cutter at him.
In 2006, he was sentenced to ten years in prison in Navajo County for manslaughter.
Glendale Police Department: Suspicious shot while the break-in was ongoing, no officers injured
Suspicious shot during break-in, no Glendale police officers injured
The Glendale Police Department is investigating a gunfight involving an officer that took place near 59th and Northern Avenues following an ongoing break-in call.
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