UPDATE (July 24, 2024): ABC15 has confirmed that the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has declared a conflict and sent the case to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.
UPDATE (July 12, 2024): ABC15 has obtained additional cell phone video that shows the final moments of a chaotic and violent fight between a man and pro-Palenstine demonstrators that ended in a deadly shooting. The recording was obtained through a source and can be seen in the updated video report in the video player above. The video may be difficult to watch, viewer discretion is advised.
ORIGINAL: Phoenix police are investigating a deadly shooting that stemmed from an earlier clash between a man and pro-Palestine demonstrators.
Another man, who was one of the demonstrators, was also stabbed.
So far, Phoenix officials have released a media advisory with basic details about the incident on July 4. The advisory did not provide details about what led to the violence because detectives were still investigating what happened.
However, the department did identify the man who was killed as 51-year-old Paul Franco.
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ABC15 has spoken with Franco’s family members and an attorney for the woman accused of fatally shooting him. Both sides claim they were acting in self-defense, complicating an investigation that involves several noteworthy people.
The woman, who has not been charged, is a regular protester and is a plaintiff in a major lawsuit against the Phoenix Police Department and Maricopa County Attorney’s Office because she was one of several people falsely charged in 2020.
ABC15 also learned that the pro-Palestine demonstrator who was stabbed is the brother of a former state lawmaker.
ABC15 is not naming the woman and stabbing victim because they have not been publicly identified by police.
Cell phone video shows Franco and his girlfriend shouting with demonstrators on a corner outside of Steele Indian School Park earlier in the evening.
The footage does not show the shooting, which happened at a nearby apartment complex.
Instead, the video ends with officers directing Franco away from the demonstration.
It’s not clear what happened after the two sides were separated.
But ABC15 has learned multiple demonstrators were wearing body cameras, and police have obtained surveillance video from the area.
This is the full text of the media advisory released by Phoenix police the day after the incident.
ABC15 asked Phoenix if it plans to release more information about the incident and whether it will ask another agency to investigate since the alleged shooter is currently suing the police department.
A spokesperson emailed the following response: “Details of this active investigation is still being followed up by detectives. No updates are available at this time. When information becomes available, an updated media advisory will be sent out.”
Contact ABC15 Chief Investigator Dave Biscobing at Dave@ABC15.com.
