VIDEO: AZ Officers Fatally Shoot Rifle-Wielding Man at Traffic Stop
Video: AZ Officers Fatally Shoot Rifle-Wielding Man at Traffic Stop
Avena confronted the officers with a rifle, YCSO spokesman Dwight D’Evelyn said, and the officers fired. Avena was taken to a Phoenix-area hospital, where he died on July 24.

The Yavapai County (AZ) Sheriff’s Office has released footage from a deputy’s body-worn video camera of the shooting of a man during a traffic stop on Friday, July 21.
Deputy Theresa Kennedy, 52, and Chino Valley Police Officer Jeffrey Pizzi, 43, shot and killed Martin L. Avena, 70, when they stopped his van after his alleged involvement in a domestic violence incident, in which his wife was sent to the hospital.
Avena confronted the officers with a rifle, YCSO spokesman Dwight D’Evelyn said, and the officers fired. Avena was taken to a Phoenix-area hospital, where he died on July 24.
The video was released Friday afternoon, after Department of Public Safety investigators completed post-shooting interviews, D’Evelyn said.
More Patrol

Streamlight Marks 15 Years of Support for Breast Cancer Research Foundation With $20k Donation
In its 15th year of supporting the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Streamlight donated $20,000 to help in the fight against cancer. Donations were generated through the sale of special Wedge XT models and other pink flashlights.
Read More →
Police-Led Mental Health Charity Expands to Include Veterans
Talk To Me Post Tour (TTMPT), a non-profit organization that has been providing peer-support programs and professional psychological support for first responders, is now expanding services to military veterans.
Read More →
WakeMed Campus Police Officer Killed in Hospital Shooting
A WakeMed Campus Police Officer died after being shot in the lobby of the emergency department at a North Carolina hospital over the weekend.
Read More →
Video Shows Barricaded Suspect Fall Through Ceiling and Into SWAT Custody
Deputies in Indian River County, Florida, apprehended a suspect after he fell through the ceiling with SWAT members waiting below. The sheriff’s department released video of the apprehension.
Read More →From the Show Floor: T2 Systems
Learn about T2 Systems and its electronic parking enforcement solutions. Retired Chief John Holland outlines the benefits of using such a system to manage parking enforcement.
Read More →
Texas Police Department Adds Reconview Tower
A Texas police chief shares how the Decatur Police Department will use its new Reconview observation tower.
Read More →From the Show Floor: Traka
Join POLICE as we visit with Steve Atkinson of Traka and learn about the company’s asset management cabinets and key lockers.
Read More →
Team Wendy Shares New DREW Data During Personal Armour Systems Symposium
Team Wendy shared data about DREW, a biofidelic helmet-test rig built to simulate real head-to-ground falls and capture both linear and rotational head motion, during the recent Personal Armour Systems Symposium in Belgium.
Read More →
2026 US Police and Fire Championships to Unite First Responders in San Diego for 59th Annual Event
The 2026 US Police and Fire Championships, featuring more than 35 Olympic-style events and new competitions, will return to San Diego, California.
Read More →
FOX News Channel’s FOX & Friends to Host Live Audience for National First Responders Day
In honor of National First Responders Day, FOX News Channel’s FOX & Friends will host a live audience made up of first responders and their families. Police officers, firefighters, EMTs, and other emergency personnel have been invited to attend the live program.
Read More →
