A man was shot dead outside a Phoenix police station for throwing rock, according to new reports out of Arizona. ABC15 out of Phoenix has reported that the incident took place on 39th Avenue and Cactus Roads this past Saturday morning.
Tucson News Now reported that the name of the 41-year-old man as Lonnie Niesen.
The incident began Saturday morning when an officer reported that something had struck a marked police vehicle. The officer turned around to see Neisen walking down the street, continuing to throw rocks at the police vehicles. Other officers in the area responded to the incident and to aide the officer who had reported the initial rock-throwing incident.
As the police car approached Niesen officers reported that he went to get more rocks and continued throwing them at the approaching vehicle. Niesen then began lobbing the rocks at the nearby police station, shattering a window. Police sought covers as the suspect continued to find more rocks to throw.
Once Niesen turned his attention elsewhere and began to walk away, police inside the station emerged to try and subdue him. Niesen refused to drop the rocks or bricks that he was holding when commanded to do so. The police reported that, at one point, Niesen then lunged at police officers, throwing rocks at them.
One officer fired a single shot at Niesen who fell to the ground immediately. Although the police reported that life-saving measures were attempted and he was taken to a local hospital. He later died there.
The police officer had minor cuts due to the rocks, but did not suffer a life-threatening injury.
Niesen’s family told police that the prior day he had stolen alcohol and a firearm from them. He had returned to the family home that morning to return the gun before launching his rock-throwing spree.
