Body Cam Footage Unveiled: Mohave County Shooting Incident in Lake Havasu City

LAKE HAVASU CITY — The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) released body camera footage on Thursday related to an officer-involved shooting that occurred on August 1. The incident involved Lake Havasu City Police Officer Joey Venegas, a 10-year veteran.

At approximately 9:07 p.m., officers responded to a domestic violence call in the 3400 block of Oro Grande Boulevard. During the encounter, the shooting suspect, 32-year-old Damien Michael Myers, reportedly had a physical altercation with Venegas, during which he brandished a firearm. In response, Officer Venegas discharged his weapon, though he did not strike Myers. The suspect fled the scene but was later apprehended without further incident.

The footage unveils a tense scenario, beginning with Officer Venegas navigating through multi-housing units. He introduces himself as a police officer to a woman, later identified as Myers’ wife, who expresses concerns over her husband’s behavior, stating he disrupted her work environment.

As Venegas speaks with her, Myers emerges and aggressively pushes past her, prompting the officer to issue commands. A physical confrontation ensues as Myers attempts to escape, leading the officer to declare a foot pursuit over the radio. Just as the chase intensifies, Myers threatens Venegas, declaring, “I’m going to shoot you,” followed by two gunshots.

Once the shooting incident unfolded, Venegas halted his pursuit and began scanning the area with his flashlight. Investigators later discovered that Myers concealed the firearm in a nearby wash while fleeing the scene. Detectives retrieved the handgun that evening, and during questioning, Myers admitted to threatening the officer while brandishing a pink handgun.

In accordance with standard protocol, the MCSO has sought assistance from external law enforcement to investigate the officer-involved shooting, ensuring transparency and minimizing any perceived conflicts of interest. The investigation is ongoing, as reported by MCSO spokesperson Anita Mortensen.

Brandon Messick contributed to this news story.