PHOENIX — A woman shot by a Phoenix police officer on November 9 had a history of mental health issues and was armed with a kitchen knife.
Friday, Phoenix police released the police report, officer body-cam videos, 911 calls, and photos from the shooting that occurred in an apartment complex near 12th Street and Osborn Road.
Sarah Cohen, 32, was found at the top of a flight of stairs, outside the door to her mom's apartment, according to the police report.
According to a 911 call recording, a neighbor reported the woman possibly had a pocket knife and mental issues.
One officer on the scene commented about the woman having a "butter knife." The police report described it as a "gray metal knife."
Officers repeatedly commanded Cohen to drop the knife.
"I need this knife," Cohen said. "I’m not letting it go."
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During the three-minute encounter before the shooting, one officer fired five foam projectile rounds at Cohen trying to get her to comply. One hit her shin, resulting in a bloody wound.
Moments later, Cohen, who was still armed with the knife, started to walk down the stairs toward the officers, according to the police report. At that point, the body-cam video shows one officer firing her gun and another officer firing his Taser nearly simultaneously.
Cohen suffered a gunshot wound and fell down the stairs. She survived her injuries.
The police investigation found that Cohen suffered from serious mental illness and was under court-ordered treatment.
Phoenix police are recommending Cohen be criminally charged with aggravated assault against an officer. The Maricopa County Attorney's Office says they are still reviewing the case.
Phoenix police have been under scrutiny for similar encounters over the last three years.
In a June report, the Department of Justice said the Phoenix Police Department had a pattern of civil rights violations against people with behavioral health disabilities. The DOJ's investigators concluded officers often had a force-first mentality instead of changing tactics and trying to de-escalate when encountering a person in crisis.
The officers' actions surrounding the shooting are subject to criminal and professional standards investigations.
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