‘It’s just crazy to me’: Attorney for family of man wrongly killed by police responds to body camera footage

PHOENIX — Newly released body camera, 911, and security footage show the moments Phoenix police shot and killed a man who was trying to protect his family during an active shooter situation last month in south Phoenix.

The shooting happened near 73rd Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road. Phoenix police recently admitted that an officer shot the wrong person.

Christian Diaz was killed after a gunman, identified as Edgar Garcia, came to Diaz’s home and fired dozens of gunshots, police said.

Multiple 911 calls captured the sound of gunfire.

Another caller can be heard saying, “They’re shooting, they shot my brother in his ankle,” referring to a 19-year-old who was hit inside the home.

Garcia later walked to the back of the house and then went inside, according to the footage.

Security camera video shows Diaz and another man wrestling Garcia to the ground. Phoenix police say Garcia was disarmed. The video shows Diaz and the other man holding Garcia until the police arrived.

“They got him!” someone can be heard shouting.

Body camera footage shows the first officers arriving as neighbors and family members scream and tell them the shooter is inside the house. No gunshots can be heard at that point.

An officer who has been with the Phoenix Police Department for five years is seen taking cover behind cars as he runs toward the home. He stops in the roadway and shouts, “Show me your **** hands!” before firing a single shot.

That shot did not hit Garcia. It struck Diaz, killing him.

Attorney David Chami, who represents the Diaz family, said the situation was chaotic but should not have ended with Diaz’s death.

“I don’t understand the thought process between, you know, showing up on the scene and making that decision to pull the trigger without knowing who you’re shooting. It’s just crazy to me,” he said.

Chami said Diaz’s death could have been prevented if the officer had announced he was a police officer or moved closer to the altercation instead of standing in the street.

“Had he just taken a pause, a beat, Christian’s probably alive today,” Chami said.

Jarvis Rosas, Diaz’s son, said in a statement that the family is relieved some transparency has come from the release of the footage.

“We’re glad that there’s finally at least a little bit of transparency in terms of them finally releasing the footage and the audio call,” the statement said. “We hope that nobody understands the way we feel, and that nobody has to deal with the frustration.”

The same day the police body camera was released, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office announced Garcia had been indicted. For the death of Diaz, Garcia is facing the charge of first-degree murder. 

Garcia is being prosecuted under felony murder, which is “a law that allows a defendant to be charged with first degree murder if a death occurs during the commission of a dangerous felony. “

According to the county attorney, Garcia faces a total of 11 felony offenses, which also include burglary, kidnapping, discharge of a firearm at a structure, aggravated assault, and disorderly conduct. 

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