x
Breaking News
More () »

Police investigating officer-involved shooting incident at south Phoenix Walmart, suspect arrested

Police said an off-duty officer fired shots at a suspect at a Walmart near 35th and Southern avenues Saturday morning.

PHOENIX — Phoenix police are investigating an officer-involved shooting incident at a Walmart located near 35th and Southern avenues.

The Phoenix Police Department said the officer involved was an off-duty officer in full uniform, who was working security at the Walmart. 

The incident happened at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

According to police, shots were fired by the officer after the store's loss prevention employee spotted a shoplifter. The employee confronted the suspect, who pulled a weapon out. The off-duty officer fired a shot toward the suspect but but did not hit the individual.

Police have identified the suspect involved as David Apana, 35. 

According to police said Apana had a handgun.

"During the interaction Apana pulled out a firearm and pointed it towards the loss prevention employee and towards the officer who was nearby," police said. "The officer reacted to Apana’s actions and fired his gun. It did not appear Apana was hit."

Police said after the officer fired, Apana ran back toward the center of the store and eventually made it outside. Responding officers saw Apana running into an nearby neighborhood. Police set up a perimeter and were able to find Apana and take him into custody.

No one was injured in the incident.

Apana was booked into the Maricopa County Sheriff's Jail and is facing multiple possible felony charges including Aggravated Assault on a Police Officer and Armed Robbery.

>> Download the 12News app for the latest local breaking news straight to your phone.  

Silent Witness: 

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. 

Have a tip? Submit it on the Silent Witness tip form here. 

What is the Valley?:

“The Valley” is what locals call the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. It is considered the largest metropolitan area in the Southwest.  

The Valley is made up of various major cities other than Phoenix, including:  

  • Mesa  

  • Chandler  

  • Scottsdale  

  • Tempe  

  • Glendale  

  • Surprise  

  • Peoria  

  • Gilbert  

  • El Mirage 

  • Avondale 

  • Litchfield Park 

  • Goodyear 

  • Buckeye 

Whether a city is in the “East Valley” or “West Valley” depends on where it is in relation to Phoenix.  

The cities of the Valley have a combined population of 4,845,832 people, according to the 2020 United States Census. This makes it the 11th largest metropolitan area in the country right behind the Boston and Atlanta areas. 

Up to Speed

Catch up on the latest news and stories on our 12News YouTube playlist here. 

Before You Leave, Check This Out