GLENDALE, AZ – Police body camera video captured the moment an Arizona police officer was forced to use a Taser on a man who refused to put down a knife, causing him to fall on the knife on Tuesday.
Glendale officer uses Taser on man holding knife; man falls, stabbing himself in the neck https://t.co/dUI0DeGR1w via @azcentral
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Officers responded to reports of a “suspicious” fire just after 6 p.m. When officers arrived at the scene, they spoke with a man who was engaging in “odd” behavior, according to police spokesperson Sgt. Randy Stewart on Wednesday.
Police bodycam footage showed a Glendale officer trying to keep the man away from the house fire. The man was not complying with the officer’s requests for him to move away from the fire scene. The officer can be heard on video telling him:
“You can’t go there, it’s not safe.”
Whoa: Man Falls & Gets Stabbed In The Neck By His Own Knife After Being Tased By An Officer!
A Glendale police officer and a man are injured after the man pulled out a large knife, held it to himself and the officer used a Taser on him, causing him to fall on the knife. Offic pic.twitter.com/UPCK9kGBvX
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The video shows the man picking up a water bottle and dumping the contents on the ground while the officer tries to keep him away from the fire. The man finally begins to walk away with the officer. The officer tells him:
“Now maybe we can get out of their way so they can do their job.”
The man then threw the empty water bottle in a neighbor’s mailbox before drawing a large kitchen knife from his pants. The officer initially tried to take the knife away from the man, but he pulled it away and walked into a yard.
The officer told the man:
“Holy s–t. Let me have the knife. Put the knife down.”
The man placed the knife against his own throat, and the officer repeatedly asked him, “put the knife down.”
The officer then pointed his Taser at the man and told him to put the knife down. The man began walking toward firemen at the scene while continuing to press the knife against his throat. The officer gave warnings and then deployed his Taser.
The video shows the taser prongs making contact with the man, and the man staggered for a second before falling forward onto his stomach as the officer made what appeared to be an unsuccessful attempt to stop him from falling.
The officer turned the man over and immediately told a fireman nearby that the knife was in the man’s neck. The knife can be seen protruding from his neck in the graphic video. The officer can be heard telling the fireman:
“The knife is in his neck.”
Police later said the man struggled and would not initially allow paramedics to treat him for his injuries. He was eventually treated and transported to a local hospital.
Police have not released the man’s identity or condition. The fire remains under investigation. The connection of the man to the fire has not been disclosed.
Editor note: In 2020, we saw a nationwide push to “defund the police”. While we all stood here shaking our heads wondering if these people were serious… they cut billions of dollars in funding for police officers. And as a result, crime has skyrocketed – all while the same politicians who said “you don’t need guns, the government will protect you” continued their attacks on both our police officers and our Second Amendment rights.
And that’s exactly why we’re launching this national crowdfunding campaign as part of our efforts to help “re-fund the police”.
For those looking for a quick link to get in the fight and support the cause, click here.
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‘Unarmed victim’? LAPD released body camera footage showing officer shoot knife-wielding attacker
November 7, 2021
LOS ANGELES, CA – The Los Angeles Police Department recently released body-worn camera footage from an officer-involved shooting of a man who had been accused of stabbing a young woman.
On October 2nd, officers with the LAPD were in the area of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue when a young woman, 19 years old, approached them stating that she had been stabbed.
The woman pointed out the man, later identified as Grisha Alaverdyan, and police approached him to investigate and noted that he was still armed with a knife.
According to a tweet from the Los Angeles Police Department:
“Officers gave the suspect commands to drop the knife, which he ignored. The suspect advance towards the officers, several beanbag rounds were deployed and officer-involved shooting occurred.”
Alaverdyan was struck by the rounds that were fired by the officers who were attempting to defend themselves from the deadly threat the suspect posed.
Officers provided first aid and Alaverdyan was transported to a local hospital for what was reported as non-life-threatening injuries.
ABC7 spoke to people who were in the area at the time of the officer-involved shooting. One person, Frank Dickerson, told reporters:
“The first thing I noticed was the cop cars pulling in very quickly to that corner. They got out, had weapons drawn, and then it was all real quick, like within a matter of a minute…the shots were fired.”
Police investigators advised the victim did not suffer any apparent life-threatening injuries and reported that the attack was random.
Police have also not been able to identify any reason why Alaverdyan attacked the woman or the officers. LAPD Sergeant Bruce Borihahn said:
“It’s a random attack. Unfortunately, it happened, but thankfully the officers were there to address that problem immediately.”
The Los Angeles Police Department released the body-worn camera footage of the incident for public transparency. The video starts with someone pointing out Alaverdyan to officers as they rush toward him.
In the video, officers order Alaverdyan to come toward them and show them his hands. Alaverdyan says:
“Fuck you.”
At this point, the officer identifies that he sees the knife in Alaverdyan’s hand and calls for backup units.
The encounter remains somewhat calm other than Alaverdyan calling the officer names. After several repeated commands and requests for him to drop the knife, he refuses.
Alaverdyan begins laughing and thrusting his hips as officers level a less-lethal shotgun in his direction. After warnings are given, Alaverdyan begins approaching officers which caused them to fire the bean bag rounds, and an officer fires his department weapon and he continued to approach officers.
Officers moved in and took Alaverdyan into custody without any further incident. An officer is seen locating the knife on camera. The Los Angeles Police Department charged Alaverdyan with one count of assault with a deadly weapon and one count of brandishing a weapon.
The officers who were involved in the shooting were placed on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of the investigation which is normal protocol for these situations. If the officers are cleared of any wrongdoing, they will be able to return to full duty.
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