The Apache Junction Police Department will honor fallen Officer Gabriel Facio with a memorial service on Monday, June 16, 2025, at Central Christian Church beginning at 10:00 a.m.
A procession will start at 7:45 a.m. from the Apache Junction Police Department at 1001 N. Idaho Road. The all agency procession will proceed down University Drive to Sossaman Road.
Community members can safely line Superstition Boulevard to show their support during the procession. The funeral service itself will remain private, but the Apache Junction Police Department will livestream the ceremony on their YouTube channel for those who wish to pay their respects from home.
Officer Facio died in the line of duty on June 8, 2025, at 1:08 p.m. after a suspect shot him in the face during a road rage incident that occurred last Monday morning, June 2nd. The confrontation began when officers responded to reports of a man brandishing a firearm from a white Tesla near Ironwood Road and Ray Avenue.
The suspect shot Facio from approximately 60 to 70 yards away in the Radiance at Superstition Vistas neighborhood using a ghost gun. Four other Apache Junction officers returned fire and struck the suspect. Officers rushed Facio to Banner Hospital before transporting him to a Level I trauma hospital, where he remained in critical condition.
Facio served as a three-year veteran of the Apache Junction Police Department and would have reached his fourth year in September. He previously worked for the City of Phoenix after graduating from the Phoenix Police Academy. Facio leaves behind a wife and two children.
Police Chief Michael Pooley described Facio as “kind of the heartbeat of our department” and “one of my personal favorites.” Pooley called him “a wonderful human being,” “a good man,” “a family man,” and “a husband and a father” who “wants nothing but the best for the city of Apache Junction and the entire state of Arizona.” The chief noted that Facio maintained a great attitude and always supported his colleagues when needed. “Everybody loves Officer Facio,” Chief Pooley said. Pooley emphasized that Facio showed his passion for people through his service to others and that his impact on the department and community will never be forgotten.
County Attorney Brad Miller pledged to pursue justice with the full force of the law. Miller said the individual responsible for the heinous act will be held fully accountable. “We owe that to Officer Facio, to his loved ones, to the Apache Junction Police Department, and to every member of our community who depends on the rule of law to uphold justice and protect peace,” Miller stated.
Memorial Server Flyer
