PHOENIX, AZ – A Saturday afternoon commotion in front of a busy strip mall on 51st Street and McDowell Road led to a fatality in what local law enforcement is categorizing as an officer-involved shooting. The incident took place around 2 p.m., when the owner of a local Chinese restaurant, referred to as KC, heard four consecutive gunshots. Alarmed, KC exited his eatery to witness Phoenix police attempting to aid a man, later identified as 37-year-old Alton Tungovia.
According to the police, Tungovia was shot by an officer after allegedly stabbing an individual, then fleeing several blocks, and subsequently disobeying police instructions. While one officer opted to use a pepper-ball launcher on the suspect, another decided to resort to their firearm. Tungovia was transported to a nearby hospital where he was later declared dead.
Although the incident resulted in a tragic loss of life, business owners in the area believe the police were merely fulfilling their duty to ensure public safety. However, the police cordon around the crime scene for several hours did result in a noticeable downturn in customer traffic for the local businesses.
Sean Tompkins, owner of The Plug Smoke Shop and an acquaintance of Tungovia, noticed a significant drop in customers following the incident. Similarly, KC reported receiving calls from customers unable to access the location due to the police blockade.
Details surrounding the officer-involved shooting remain vague, with the police yet to verify whether Tungovia had been armed at the time of the shooting. The stabbing victim, a 20-year-old man, was discharged from the hospital on Saturday night and is expected to recover fully, according to updates from his family.