GLENDALE, Ariz. — A man acted erratically, crashed into a Glendale police car and allegedly threatened officers before he was shot overnight Wednesday.
Police got calls of a man standing in the roadway near 62nd Avenue and McLellan Road, allegedly yelling and banging on passing cars, just after midnight. That’s about a mile west of Grand Avenue.
When officers arrived, Jose Enrique Cortez, 26, was allegedly lying down in the middle of the road next to a vacant car and refused to cooperate with police.
Investigators said Cortez got into the car, charged towards officers while driving and crashed into the marked police car before fleeing.
Cortez was stopped in a neighborhood near Ocotillo Road where police said he started yelling at officers to shoot him.
At that point, police claim Cortez charged at two officers, one of whom tried to use a taser on Cortez. Police claim Cortez wasn't fazed and motioned as if he had a gun in his waistband. That's when the second officer shot him.
No weapon was found on Cortez. He was taken to the hospital where he later died.
No officers were hurt. They were placed on administrative leave during the investigation.
Cortez was wanted for a parole violation from a kidnapping charge.
Arizona's Silent Witness program allows people to send in tips and share information about crimes happening within their local communities.
The program shares unsolved felony case information in multiple ways, including TV, radio and social media.
Anyone who has information on a crime or recognizes a suspect described by the program is asked to call 480-948-6377, go to the program's website online or download the Silent Witness app to provide a tip. The identity of anyone who submits a tip is kept anonymous.
Calls to Silent Witness are answered 24/7 by a live person and submitted tips are accepted at all times. Submitted tips are then sent to the detective(s) in charge of the specific case.
Individuals who submit tips that lead to an arrest or indictment in the case can get a reward of up to $1,000.
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