SCOTTSDALE, AZ — A newly released internal affairs investigation states that a Scottsdale police officer violated department policy for firearm storage and handling when a gun discharged and killed a Scottsdale police officer last year.
The report, released to ABC15 on Thursday, said Detective Juan Roa received a 160-hour unpaid suspension.
In a statement, Scottsdale Police Chief Joe LeDuc called Detective Ryan So’s death “heartbreaking.” He said there is no evidence of criminal intent or misconduct, and the policy violation that was found was addressed through “appropriate disciplinary action.”
“This tragedy serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of our commitment to safety. We will continue to review and strengthen our protocols to help ensure that such a devastating incident never happens again,” said LeDuc.
Detective Ryan So was 38 years old when he was killed in June 2024.
He was helping to load equipment into a vehicle after serving a search warrant with a team when another officer’s rifle discharged after slipping from an unsecured bag. The safety on the rifle was off. Detective So was hit and killed.
The Maricopa County Medical Examiner later ruled his death accidental, saying he died of a gunshot wound to the neck.
The Scottsdale internal affairs report states that Detective Roa has been a police officer with the department since 2008.
“During that time, he has attended and instructed numerous courses on firearms, including courses on precision rifle. Det. Roa knew and understood the safe way to store or transport a precision rifle.”
The report said Detective Roa last used his rifle on May 24, 2024, while attending a training in California. Less than a month later, on June 13, 2024, Detective So was helping Detective Roa transfer gear to another vehicle after serving a search warrant. Detective So picked up a backpack containing a rifle. The rifle was not secure in the backpack, and Detective So picked up the backpack upside down, the report said. This caused the rifle to slide out of the pack and strike the asphalt.
A round discharged from the rifle, striking Detective So and killing him.
The report said an inspection of the rifle found the magazine was fully loaded with 10 rounds, and there had been a round in the chamber.
The Scottsdale internal affairs investigation said, “transporting the rifle with a loaded round in the chamber and transporting it with the safety in the fire position are two separate policy violations by Det. Roa.”
“Testing by the Mesa PD Crime Lab showed that had either one of those safety measures been followed, it would have made the accidental discharge of the gun far less likely or impossible,” the report said.
ABC15 attempted to reach out to Detective Roa for comment but was unsuccessful.
Last December, the Mesa Police Department’s Homicide Unit conducted a review into Detective Ryan So’s death at the request of Scottsdale police. The report “found no evidence of criminal negligence on the part of any parties.”
The state’s worker-safety agency also reviewed the workplace accident last year for potential workplace safety violations. The Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health (ADOSH), did not issue any worker safety violations, saying the employer was not aware of the rifle’s condition.
Email ABC15 Investigator Anne Ryman at anne.ryman@abc15.com, call her at 602-685-6345, or connect on X, formerly known as Twitter, and Facebook
