MESA, AZ — Mesa police were involved in a deadly shooting overnight during a traffic stop.
The shooting occurred around 10:50 p.m. Thursday near Mesa Drive and Broadway Road.
Police say an officer conducted a traffic stop on a person riding a moped. The man on the moped then allegedly tried to escape on the moped from the stop.
The officer reportedly attempted to stop the man, 30-year old, Jose Moreno, and a struggle ensued.
Police say Moreno grabbed the officers belt and said that he had the officer's gun in his hand. The officer broke free and believed that Moreno was pointing what looked to be a gun toward him. Police say the officer opened fire, hitting Moreno one time.
Police say no handgun was found on Moreno's posession, however the officer's Taser was on the ground next to him.
The subject was taken to the hospital where he died from his injuries.
Police say the officer involved was not hurt.
According to friends at the scene of the crime Friday afternoon, Moreno was riding a coworkers moped on his way to his sister's house just couple of blocks away, when he was stopped.
"He went out of his way to help people, even when they didn't deserve it," said Shantel Lindsey, a friend of the man.
"He was all the family his sister had pretty much so it's really hard right now for her," said Brittany Garcia, a friend.
The man killed recently became a father, friends said.
Police say Moreno had two outstanding warrants for his arrest. One warrant was reportedly out of Maricopa County Superior Court for "kidnapping with violent tendencies and a history of violence" listed on the warrant. The other warrant was a Mesa City Court misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear.
