Two officer-involved shootings in Arizona resulted in two suspect deaths. One occurred in Coolidge on the evening of Feb. 5, 2026. The other took place in Queen Creek on Oct. 8, 2025, and was the subject of a recently released critical incident briefing.
Coolidge Officer-Involved Shooting on Feb. 5
A Coolidge Police officer shot and killed a suspect outside the police station on the evening of Feb. 5, 2026. The officer responded to a domestic disturbance call in front of the station at approximately 7:45 p.m. When the officer arrived, the suspect displayed a machete. He refused orders to drop it.
As a result, the officer fired at the suspect. The suspect was pronounced dead. No officers were injured during the incident.
The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office has taken over the investigation.
Queen Creek Releases Critical Incident Briefing on Oct. 8 Shooting
The Queen Creek Police Department released a critical incident briefing about an officer-involved shooting that occurred on Oct. 8, 2025. The incident began just before 2 p.m. when a caller reported that a man named Bradley had sent text messages threatening suicide.
Family members were out of the country at the time. They told police Bradley had access to multiple firearms and vehicles. Officers responded to his residence but did not find him there.
Subsequently, officers reached Bradley by phone. During the call, he confirmed he had a gun. He told the officer, “If anybody approaches this car, either on foot or a car, I have a gun.” He also stated, “I will not shoot at an officer. I am not like that.” However, he refused to share his location and ended the call.
Church Parking Lot and Elementary School Threats
Officers continued searching for Bradley. Around 3 p.m., he stopped responding to communication. At 3:04 p.m., officers located his vehicle in the northwest portion of a church parking lot near Chandler Heights and 204th Street.
Meanwhile, bystanders were on the east side of the church building. They appeared to be working near a truck.
At 3:24 p.m., family members contacted officers to report that Bradley had texted about committing suicide at a nearby elementary school.
Shortly after, Bradley exited his vehicle and attempted to open the church’s locked south doors. He then walked toward another set of doors. Because he was armed and bystanders were nearby, officers moved in to make contact.
Officers Deploy Less-Lethal Round Before Fatal Shots
During the confrontation at approximately 3:27 p.m., Bradley confirmed he was armed. Officers issued multiple commands telling him to keep his hands up and not reach for his weapon. He did not comply.
Officers then deployed a single less-lethal round. It was ineffective. Bradley continued making motions toward the gun in his waistband. He also kept walking toward the bystanders.
Officers fired their weapons in response. After the initial shots, Bradley continued to move and appeared to reach for his weapon again. Officers fired a second time. They then deployed a Taser to safely take him into custody and recovered a loaded handgun from his waistband.
Bradley was pronounced dead at the scene at 3:54 p.m. No officers or bystanders were injured.
Ongoing Investigations Into Both Incidents
The Queen Creek officer-involved shooting is being investigated by the Mesa Police Department. Mesa leads the case as part of the East Valley Critical Incident Response Team. That team includes members from Apache Junction, Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Paradise Valley, Queen Creek, Scottsdale, and Tempe. The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is reviewing the case. No determinations had been made as of the briefing’s release.
In Coolidge, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office is handling the investigation. Neither Queen Creek nor Coolidge is investigating its own officers’ actions. Both cases remain under review by their respective investigating agencies.
