PD: Officers shoot, kill Samuel Barnes as he threatened his wife with a rifle in N. Phoenix

PHOENIX - A 49-year-old man has died after he was shot by Phoenix police officers during a domestic violence call Saturday night.

Phoenix police Sgt. Tommy Thompson said officers responded to the call near 33rd Avenue and Union Hills Drive around 5:15 p.m.

Police were told a man was throwing things in his house and when the first two officers arrived were walking up to the woman who called when Samuel William Barnes, her husband, came out of the house.

Thompson said Barnes was carrying an assault style rifle and pointed it at his wife who had her back to him.

Officers gave Barnes commands to drop the weapon but he refused, Thompson said.

Fearing Barnes was about to shoot his wife, both officers fired at Barnes.

He then pointed the gun at one of the officers who fired again.

Barnes was struck and the confrontation ended.

Barnes was taken a Valley hospital where he died from his injuries.

The officers were not injured.

The case is being investigated both criminally and internally. The two officers involved will be placed on administrative leave which is standard for these types of incidents.

Thompson said the officers are both 48 years old and 16-year veterans of the Phoenix Police Department.