Matthew Granado Obituary, Death; – Tempe police have identified Matthew Granado as the individual suspected of shooting an officer in the leg before being fatally shot by law enforcement on Friday evening.
The 32-year-old had an outstanding felony charge related to drug sales and was located by a specialized police unit at the Circle K gas station situated at the intersection of Rural and Baseline Roads, as stated by police spokesperson Jessica Ells.
The ACTION team of the Tempe Police Department, designated to tackle specific issues within the city, was responsible for locating Granado, according to a department representative.
Officers from this team engaged with Granado, who subsequently drove away on Rural Road and crossed over towards Lamplighter Lane. After abandoning his vehicle, he fled on foot, brandished a firearm, and fired at the officers, injuring one in the leg, as detailed in the police report.
In response, the officers returned fire, resulting in Granado being shot, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The identity of the injured officer has not yet been disclosed by Tempe police; however, it has been confirmed that the officer was transported to the hospital and is “recovering after a successful surgery.”
The Mesa Police Department will conduct an investigation into the officer-involved shooting, as mandated by the East Valley Critical Response Team, which oversees all incidents involving police shootings.
