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Coconino County Deputy Fatally Shoots Armed Man at Flagstaff KOA After Wife's Crisis Call
A Coconino County deputy shot and killed a man at a Flagstaff KOA campground late Saturday after the man's wife called 911 saying he was threatening self-harm with a handgun. Body camera footage shows a struggle over the weapon inside a fifth-wheel trailer before the deputy fired; the Flagstaff Police Department will lead the multi-agency investigation.
FLAGSTAFF â A Coconino County sheriff's deputy shot and killed a man at a Flagstaff campground late Saturday night after responding to a call from the man's wife, who told dispatchers her husband had a gun and was threatening to use it on himself, authorities said.
Deputies were sent to the KOA Campground at about 10 p.m. on Nov. 7. According to the Coconino County Sheriff's Office, arriving officers found the man and woman locked in a physical struggle over a handgun inside a fifth-wheel trailer at the RV park.
Body camera video released by the sheriff's office shows the deputy approaching the trailer's entrance as the woman repeats "No, no, no" and the man appears to handle the firearm. The man tells the deputy not to come inside. The deputy, his own weapon drawn, orders the woman to get away, then tells the man to drop the gun. Two shots are heard on the recording as the deputy holds the woman back.
The deputy's round struck the man, who was pronounced dead at the scene. His name has not been released.
It remains unclear what led to the struggle over the weapon, and authorities have not said whether the woman or any deputies were injured.
The Northern Arizona Officer Involved Shooting Task Force is investigating the incident, with the Flagstaff Police Department leading the inquiry. The task force is a standard multi-agency arrangement used to review police uses of force in the region.
The shooting highlights the difficult intersection of mental-health crises and armed encounters with law enforcement â a scenario that crisis-intervention advocates say calls for de-escalation training, access to behavioral-health responders, and clear protocols when a person in distress is armed. Coconino County and Flagstaff have expanded crisis-response resources in recent years, but rural and campground settings can complicate timely access to those services.
Anyone in distress, or worried about a loved one, can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which offers free, confidential support in English and Spanish, including for veterans. Warning signs and risk factors for suicide are outlined by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.