{"id":2614,"date":"2026-06-25T04:06:32","date_gmt":"2026-06-25T04:06:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tucsonmovingreport.com\/?p=2614"},"modified":"2026-06-25T04:06:32","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T04:06:32","slug":"family-of-man-shot-by-deputies-during-swatting-situation-in-pima-county-speaks-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tucsonmovingreport.com\/?p=2614","title":{"rendered":"Family of man shot by deputies during swatting situation in Pima County speaks out"},"content":{"rendered":"
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TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – The family of the man shot by Pima County deputies during a swatting situation is speaking out, and only to 13 News.<\/p>\n

Read more Pima County to open 120 Vote Centers<\/a><\/p>\n

23-year-old Axeel Melendez is confined to a wheelchair and paralyzed from the chest down following the April 10 incident. They said he is still recovering from a recent surgery and was not yet up to talking to 13 News himself.<\/p>\n

The PCSD had said Axeel\u2019s injuries were not life-threatening and that three deputies suffered minor injuries that were not related to the shooting.<\/p>\n

Axeel\u2019s mother, Carmen, and his sister, Jocelyn, said the situation could and should have been prevented. They are asking for accountability and hope to get more answers about what happened.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s every day for me to wake up and think, \u2018Oh, it was a nightmare,\u2019 and wake up and say, \u2018No, that was real.\u2019 I saw everything, I was there,\u201d said Carmen, who was in the room with her son moments before the shooting.<\/p>\n

GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING<\/b><\/h3>\n

On Tuesday, June 23, the Pima Regional Critical Incident Team released its video report about the incident that ended with Axeel being shot.<\/p>\n

You can watch it in the video player below.<\/p>\n

HACKERS MAKE GOOD ON THREATS<\/b><\/h3>\n

Lynne Cadigan, the family\u2019s attorney, showed 13 News\u2019 Raya Torres<\/b><\/u><\/i> the report from a 911 call Axeel made just days before he was shot.<\/p>\n

According to that report, Axeel reached out to the PCSD on April 8. He said he had been hacked, and the criminals behind it were threatening to swat him if he didn\u2019t pay up.<\/p>\n

The reports stats that shortly after Alex made the call, someone from outside the country claimed that Axeel was harassing people and abusing women.<\/p>\n

The deputy confirmed that it was a false report and told Axeel that \u201csince he called law enforcement to get ahead of the false reporting, he should be all right.\u201d<\/p>\n

The deputy finally told Axeel that it was going to be \u201call right\u201d and that if any more reports were made, \u201cthere was nothing to worry about.\u201d<\/p>\n

It is unclear if the deputies who responded to the Melendez\u2019s home on April 10 knew about the previous report. It is also unclear if the operators who took the fake 911 call or those who dispatched deputies to the scene knew about the situation.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo he calls 911, like a good boy, believing in the system, and says someone\u2019s trying to get me in trouble and get me swatted,\u201d Cadigan said. \u201cThe 911 call, which I have here, the transcript, they said, \u2018No worries, we won\u2019t do that. Now that you\u2019ve called and told us, if someone tries to swat you, we won\u2019t come to your house, you\u2019ll be safe.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

FAKE 911 CALL LEADS TO SHOOTING<\/b><\/h3>\n

The incident began on April 10, when someone claiming to be Axeel called 311.<\/p>\n

The caller claimed Axeel\u2019s father shot his younger sister. While the incident is still under investigation, PRCIT confirmed Axeel was not the caller, and it was likely a swatting incident.<\/p>\n

But deputies did not know that at the time, so they responded to the family\u2019s home in the 1000 block of East Fenley Drive, which is near South Nogales Highway and Old Vail Road.<\/p>\n

According to the body camera video, deputies twice knocked on the front door and announced that they were from the PCSD. No one came to the door, so deputies were not able to get inside.<\/p>\n

They then tried the back door, but were also not able to get in.<\/p>\n

A deputy then grabbed a shovel and broke a window in a room in the back of the home. A deputy went into the room while another waited outside.<\/p>\n

The deputies can be heard saying, \u201cSheriff\u2019s Department, come out with and show us your hands.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more WATCH: Vehicle fire sparks wildfire along highway northeast of Phoenix<\/a><\/p>\n

Axeel, who was armed and behind a door in the room, can be heard screaming something that is inaudible before the deputies opened fire.<\/p>\n

The deputy who was inside the home fired first, followed by the deputy who remained outside.<\/p>\n

It is unclear if Melendez ever fired his gun or if he pointed at deputies, as it was a very quick interaction. The deputy fired less than five seconds after entering the room.<\/p>\n

The deputies who fired their weapons have been identified as Santiago Casillas-Velazquez, a three-year veteran of the PCSD, and Andres Vasquez, a two-year veteran.<\/p>\n

As is normal, PRCIT was activated to handle the criminal investigation. The Tucson Police Department will lead that investigation. The PCSD will also investigate, but only to see if the deputies followed department policies.<\/p>\n

The findings from the PRCIT investigation will be turned over to the Pima County Attorney\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n

TERRIBLE SITUATION<\/b><\/h3>\n

Carmen said she and her son believed that there were intruders when they heard the window shatter. She said she called 911, and while on the phone with the dispatcher, she heard multiple shots.<\/p>\n

\u201cI walked towards my son, he was on the floor,\u201d Carmen said. \u201cHe said, \u2018I love you, mom.\u2019 And I saw the window, and all the officers were standing there. Everything was full with glass, the floor. Nobody said nothing to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Axeel was shot multiple times, with bullets tearing through his shoulder, collarbone, and hips.<\/p>\n

Axeel\u2018s sister, Jocelyn Melendez Davis, said her family wants accountability.<\/p>\n

\u201c(The deputies) should be held to the highest standard, because you can, in a split second, you can alter someone\u2019s life,\u201d she said. \u201cMy brother deserves justice. My brother has been done a great disservice by people that are, like I said, have taken an oath to protect and serve him.\u201d<\/p>\n

SHERIFF NANOS RESPONDS<\/b><\/h3>\n

13 News reporter Raya Torres asked Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos if he was aware of the details.<\/p>\n

He declined to comment, stating he wanted to preserve the integrity of the investigation before he commented.<\/p>\n

That is normal in any shooting involving law enforcement, and Nanos has been consistent in declining to comment until an investigation or case is complete.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll let the investigation work its way through. It will be presented to us. At that time, we\u2019ll have a better look and better idea and understanding of what happened,\u201d Nanos said.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Are you streaming 13 News?<\/p>\n

Watch a free live stream of Tucson Now and 13 News at TucsonNow.Live.<\/p>\n

Be sure to download the free Tucson Now app, which you can find on Apple and Google. <\/p>\n

If you are using a desktop computer, you can use your mobile device to scan the QR code below.<\/p>\n

Read more Camp Mystic in Texas files for bankruptcy after catastrophic floods killed 28 people<\/a><\/p>\n

You can submit your breaking news or weather images here.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department said Axeel Melendez, 23, was shot by deputies during a swatting incident on April 10.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2613,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2614","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interesting"],"yoast_head":"\nFamily of man shot by deputies during swatting situation in Pima County speaks out - Tucson Moving Report<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/tucsonmovingreport.com\/?p=2614\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Family of man shot by deputies during swatting situation in Pima County speaks out - 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