Man shot by Mesa Police after swinging knife at officer
By: A man who threatened to kill a Circle K manager before being shot by an officer Monday night in Mesa was arrested, police said.
Police say the incident began after the manager of a Circle K located near Gilbert Road and Southern Avenue called them just after 9 p.m. on May 9 saying that a man, identified by police as 27-year-old Omar Fernando Lugo-Osuna, threatened to kill him.
"The manager said that in addition to threatening to kill him, the male was ‘punching the air,'" Det. Richard Encinas said in a statement.
When the manager told Lugo-Osuna he was calling police, he left the store on a bicycle.
On his way to the Circle K, an officer saw Lugo-Osuna near the US 60 and Gilbert Road and tried to stop him, but he refused.
When the officer tried to stop him again, Lugo-Osuna allegedly jumped off his bicycle and swung a knife at the officer.
"The officer stumbled to the ground and fired his duty weapon at Lugo-Osuna striking him multiple times," Det. Encinas said.
More officers arrived at the scene and took Lugo-Osuna into custody. He was taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
"Lugo-Osuna was then taken to the Mesa City Holding Facility where he admitted to threatening the Circle K manager and to having the knife open when the officer contacted him," Det. Encinas said.
Lugo-Osuna was arrested and booked into jail. He is accused of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and threatening and intimidating.
North and southbound Gilbert Road has reopened in the area, including the off-ramp at the US 60.