top of page

S2203128 / P2212173 Officer Involved Shooting Media Release

With permission from the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, The Flagstaff Police Department is providing body camera footage, from both agencies, of the officer involved shooting that occurred earlier today. The shooting resulted in the death of a white male named Donald Wayne Henry of Missouri.


At approximately 5:30 am on September7, 2022, the Flagstaff/Coconino Emergency Communications Center received a call from the owner of the business located at 4501 Highway 89 that someone had broken into his business, the alarm was going off, and there was a man inside the store. At the same time, a second call was received about a subject threatening to stab people with a knife outside of the business that had been broken into.

Officer Patton with the Flagstaff Police Department arrived and contacted the man in the middle of the road near the intersection of Highway 89 and Cummings. Officer Patton’s body camera footage shows the male with a screwdriver in his right hand advancing towards Officer Patton in a threatening manner. A screwdriver is a dangerous instrument, as the manner in which the man was using the tool, it was capable of causing death or serious physical injury to Officer Patton or others. Officer Patton then drew his Taser and the male fled away from him across the street.


Deputies McCabe and Harvey with the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office arrived at that time. The Officer and Deputies gave several commands for the man to drop the screwdriver. One of the Deputies stated drop the knife as the original report to 911 was that the man had a knife, and the man was holding a silver object in his right hand. Still photographs taken from the videos show the man with the screwdriver in his hand.


The man failed to comply with the law enforcement officers’ commands and backed away from the officers eventually running across Cummings Street. The Officer and Deputies followed him and surrounded him. The man, who was within approximately ten feet of the officers then turned toward Deputy Harvey running at him and closing the distance. Deputy Harvey shouted at the man to stop several times, however he did not. Deputy Harvey ultimately had to resort to deadly force to stop the man who was coming towards him with a dangerous instrument. At the same time Deputy Harvey fired his weapon Officer Patton fired his Taser.


Officer Webster with the Flagstaff Police Department arrived just after the shooting occurred. Officer Webster removed the screwdriver from the right hand of the man and began to provide lifesaving measures along with other officers who had arrived on scene. Medics arrived to assist however the man, Donald Wayne Henry, passed away on scene. The Northern Arizona Officer Involved Shooting Team is investigating this incident. 

S2203128 / P2212173 Officer Involved Shooting Media Release


*UPDATE*



FLAGSTAFF, Az. – At 0530 on September 7th, there was an Officer involved shooting at the intersection of North Highway 89 and Cummings Street. The shooting resulted in the death of one adult male who has yet to be identified.

The Flagstaff Police responded to a call of a male subject breaking a gas station window and entering the business taking items from the store. At the same time the Sheriff’s Office received a call for a subject threatening to stab people with a knife in the same area at a nearby business. When the FPD Officer arrived, he contacted the man in the middle of the intersection. The male subject produced a screwdriver and advanced towards the officer in a threatening manner. The officer drew his Taser and the male then fled on foot. CCSO Deputies arrived and assisted the Officer. The man refused multiple commands to stop and to drop the screwdriver. He fled from the officers and ran across the road. The Officer and Deputies followed him and surrounded him. More verbal commands were given, which the man refused to comply with. The male once again brandished the screwdriver and threatened the Deputy by charging towards him. The Deputy ultimately had to resort to deadly force to stop the threat as he was being charged. The FPD Officer fired his Taser at the same time the shots were fired by the Deputy.

This scene remains an active crime scene. The incident is being investigated by the Northern AZ Officer Involved Shooting Team. More information will be provided as it becomes available. If you have any information about this situation, please call the Flagstaff Police Department at 928-774-1414, or you can call Silent Witness at 928-774-6111.

bottom of page