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Officers shoot and kill teen suspect in west Phoenix

Posted at 6:48 PM, Jun 29, 2018
and last updated 2018-07-01 00:19:38-04

Police say a 19-year-old suspect has died after an officer-involved shooting in west Phoenix Friday. 

The suspect has been identified as Chukwumankpam Mbegbu. 

According to police, just after 5:30 p.m., officers responded to a report of a fight in the area of 40th Avenue and Colter Street. 

As officers arrived, police say they saw a man and a woman in the alley. 

The woman ran towards officers when she saw them and reportedly told them that she had been involved in an argument with Mbegbu. 

At that point, police say Mbegbu got closer to the officers and an officer reportedly noticed what she believed to be a handgun. 

Mbegbu reportedly told officers he was armed and as an officer tried to remove the weapon he refused to give it up. 

Police say during the struggle, Mbegbu pulled the gun from his waistband and fired a shot over his shoulder towards the officers. 

Officers then returned fire at Mbegbu. He was taken to the hospital where he was later pronounced dead. 

The three officers who responded to the scene were not hurt. Police say the woman involved in the initial argument wasn't injured either. 

Friday's shooting marks the 48th officer-involved shooting in the Valley in 2018, the 28th in Phoenix alone.