An Arizona man wielding a samurai sword was shot and killed by police outside a police precinct earlier this month after he began to move toward officers with the sword raised, authorities said Friday.
The incident happened on Sept. 10 n the area of 39th Avenue and Cactus Road near the employee parking lot entrance of the Phoenix Police Cactus Park Precinct, the Phoenix Police Department said.
Witnesses called 911 and reported that a man pulled out a samurai sword from his waistband and began striking the police station fence near the employee gate for several minutes, police said.
When two officers on patrol arrived on the scene, the man moved toward the officers with the sword raised and ignored multiple commands to drop the sword, according to authorities.
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Officers then fired shots at the man, striking him.
The man was later identified as 40-year-old Aaron Baughman. Baughman was rushed to a hospital where he died from his injuries.
Another man arrived at the scene and approached Baughman. Officers ordered the man to stop and detained him. It was later determined that he was Baughman’s father.
Police recovered the samurai sword from the scene.
The investigation remains ongoing.
An internal investigation is also underway to determine whether the actions of the officers involved were consistent with department policy and the law.
