PHOENIX — Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced Thursday her office will not charge the Phoenix police officer who shot and killed a homeowner who had disarmed a gunman in January.
36-year-old Christian Diaz Rendon died January 26th after his family and neighbors called Phoenix police to the neighborhood near 75th Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road, as someone who didn’t live in the neighborhood was shooting and eventually making his way inside Rendon's home.
"We don't know who it is. Somebody's at our house, and they are shooting at us." One caller stated. "We have kids here. They shot my brother in his ankle."
Watch the full news conference in the player below:
Diaz Rendon was in a fight, disarming the suspect when police arrived. One officer from outside the home shot through the open front door at the two men struggling. The shooting happened just after 6 p.m, hitting and killing Diaz Rendon.
Body camera video was released two weeks later.
On Thursday, County Attorney Mitchell said her decision was based on her office’s standard of finding a reasonable likelihood of conviction if they were to charge the case.
Diaz’s family has filed a notice of claim against the city and has called for the officer to be criminally prosecuted.
