Fatal shooting of man by Arizona officers declared legally justified

Two law enforcement officers were legally justified when they shot and killed a man in Kingman on May 14, the Mohave County attorney’s office determined after reviewing an investigation conducted by the Department of Public Safety.

The man who was killed, David Juarez, 41, Texas, had initiated a crime spree at the business of his employer in Wikieup, according to officials. The Mohave County sheriff’s office said Juarez stabbed his 65-year-old boss and his 44-year-old son before stealing a heavy duty work truck and driving north toward Kingman.

Authorities said Juarez refused to stop while being chased by law enforcement before exiting Interstate 40 and entering the city of Kingman. Juarez drove southbound in the northbound lanes for an eighth of a mile before performing a U-turn.

“At that time DPS officer Matthew Drury and KPD sergeant Dave Coffin had received information that David Juarez had allegedly stabbed two people in Wikieup,” said county attorney Matt Smith in an Aug. 16 letter exonerating the officers. Smith said the officers were also concerned that Juarez was endangering other motorists with his erratic driving behavior.

“Officer Drury and Sergeant Coffin were legally justified in using deadly force under these circumstances” Smith concluded.