Gabriel Facio case: Pinal County Attorney discusses charging decision in police officer’s murder

APACHE JUNCTION, Ariz. – The Pinal County Attorney’s Office is holding a news conference to talk about the murder of an Apache Junction Police Officer back in June.

What we know:

According to a statement announcing the event, Pinal County Attorney Brad Miller, in addition to Apache Junction Police Chief Michael Pooley, will attend the news conference.

The backstory:

Officer Gabriel Facio was shot in the face on June 2 by an alleged road rage suspect. The suspect has since been identified as 37-year-old Roger Nunez, and the shooting reportedly happened after he was pulled over in the area of Ironwood Drive and Elliot Road.

“The male was not complying with our verbal directions. We attempted less lethal ammunition towards him to try to gain compliance. At that time, he brandished his firearm and fired at police officers. They returned fire, striking him as well as one of our officers was struck by his gunfire towards us,” Apache Junction Police said in a previous statement.

Officer Facio died days after the incident.