8 Sept 7th–Sept 13th, 2023 phoenixnewtimes.com phoenix new Times | music | cafe | film | culTuRe | NighT+Day | feaTuRe | NeWs | OPiNiON | feeDBacK | cONTeNTs | Fatal Encounters Phoenix police video details the untimely deaths of two more men. BY KATYA SCHWENK T he Phoenix Police Department has released body camera footage and other information for two recent fatal incidents. The newly released footage shows the moments leading up to two police-involved fatalities — the July 17 shooting of Armando Reyes and the death of Javon Kevine after he was handcuffed by officers on July 20. The footage is part of the agency’s “critical incident briefings,” which are released after any police shooting or in-custody death. The briefings are narrated by officers and include edited compilations of body camera footage, dispatch audio and other information regarding an incident. Activists have criti- cized the department’s decision to release edited videos, rather than complete footage, of fatal incidents. Reyes’ death marked the 10th fatal shooting by Phoenix police officers so far this year, the same number as in all of 2022. Over the past year, Chief Michael Sullivan — contending with a wide-ranging federal investigation into his agency’s use of deadly force — has emphasized de-escala- tion and revisions to the department’s use- of-force policy. But the police shootings have continued. Man killed during investigation into car crash Phoenix police officers began pursuing Reyes after dispatchers received several calls about a car that crashed into a light pole near Seventh and Lincoln streets, according to the critical incident briefing released on Aug. 1. “A guy just wrecked really bad,” one caller said, according to audio the department released. The caller added that the man had totaled his car and then wandered off. “The guy kinda took off. And he might be hurt fairly good. He’s pretty drunk.” Officers said they found the car vacant when they arrived on the scene. They began searching for the driver and encoun- tered Reyes — who matched callers’ description — walking along railroad tracks at 18th and Harrison streets. Police found him about a mile and a half east of where the car crash. Body camera footage released by Phoenix police showed a sergeant arriving on the scene where two patrol cars were already parked. Reyes was facing officers from a distance, distressed and screaming at them as they ordered him to get on the ground. “Bring it down, bring it down,” the sergeant told one of the officers in the video. He then addressed Reyes. “We just have to figure this out, all right,” he said. Reyes continued to scream unintelli- gibly at the officers. “Let him tire himself out, OK,” the sergeant said, as another officer started to give commands to Reyes through a bull- horn. “We want to calm him down.” The video then showed Reyes moving further down the side of the railroad tracks from the officers. They followed him. The footage showed Reyes pull out what appeared to be a gun. “Drop it, drop it,” one officer yelled. Then gunshots could be heard as an unidentified officer fired his handgun at Reyes. Reyes died on the scene, according to the department. Officers handcuffed man who later died On Aug. 4, Phoenix police released a critical incident briefing about a fatal encounter with Javon Kevine. The 44-year-old man died after being approached and hand- cuffed by officers on July 20. Sgt. Phil Krynsky identified the man as Kevine to Phoenix New Times. Kevine previously had not been named in mate- rials released by the department. Officers were called to 19th Avenue and Union Hills Drive, according to the briefing, by a woman who told dispatchers that a homeless man was being “aggres- sive.” The caller said, “He keeps walking back and forth along the shopping strip.” The briefing begins with a clip of body camera footage from when officers arrived at the shopping plaza. In the video, Kevine unsteadily walked away from officers. The body camera footage ends there and then picks up as two officers put Kevine in handcuffs. According to Phoenix police, Kevine fell into a brick wall as he walked away from officers, who then decided to intervene. Temperatures reached 115 degrees in Phoenix when officers encountered Kevine and the video showed that he was shirtless in the blistering sun. In the video, the officers each grabbed one of Kevine’s wrists and tried to get him to sit down. He struggled as they handcuff him while standing and then walked him over to the shade in front of a storefront. Officers then sat Kevine down against a wall. At this point, Kevine still appeared to be responsive. When paramedics arrived and began treating him, however, he stopped breathing. The body camera footage showed. Kevine was brought to a hospital, where he died. It’s not clear what led to Kevine’s death. County records show that the medical examiner has not yet completed its investi- gation into his death. Kevine’s death was the 15th fatal incident involving Phoenix officers this year. On Aug. 4, Phoenix police released a critical incident briefing about a fatal encounter with Javon Kevine. (Photo courtsey of Phoenix Police Department) Body camera footage from a Phoenix police sergeant shows the moments preceding the fatal shooting of Armando Reyes. (Photo courtsey of Phoenix Police Department) | NEWS |
