Maricopa PD Shooting Victim Expected to Survive as Sheriff Confirms Pending Charges

An officer-involved shooting occurred yesterday morning at a residence located at 40789 Portis Road in Maricopa. Police responded to a call about a person threatening self-harm in the Desert Passage neighborhood just before 8 a.m., according to information gathered from family members.

The individual involved, identified as 39-year-old Russell Avila, was shot three times by a responding officer. He was subsequently transported to Dignity Chandler hospital for emergency surgery. The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office has reported that Avila is currently in stable condition.

J.D. Fitzgerald, spokesman for the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, stated, “The Pinal Regional Special Investigations Unit has taken over the Maricopa Police Department’s officer-involved shooting incident, per standard procedure.” Importantly, Avila remains hospitalized and is currently in police custody.

Authorities are actively waiting for a warrant to conduct a thorough search of the residence on Portis Drive. Fitzgerald indicated that criminal charges against Avila are pending as the investigation progresses, although no specific timeline has been provided.

According to Liane Avila, the mother of the shooting victim, Russell was experiencing a panic attack due to job loss and was reportedly inconsolable. Concerned for his safety, she called 911 for assistance.

She recounted that four officers arrived on the scene, with one officer armed with a rifle. According to her, they instructed Russell to drop the knife he possessed before discharging their weapons. “Four [officers] came in and two seconds later, boom boom boom,” Liane Avila stated. “He wasn’t attacking anyone. He was upset and scared.”

The specific injuries sustained by Russell Avila remain unclear, though his mother noted he was standing when the officers opened fire. Due to his hospitalization and subsequent surgery, Liane mentioned the difficulty in obtaining updates on her son’s condition.