TEMPE, AZ — Charges have been recommended against former Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry Director Charles Ryan in connection to a Tempe shooting.
On Thursday, January 6, Tempe police officers were called to a home near Rural and Warner roads for reports of a shooting.
Once officers got to the home, Ryan exited the home, went into the garage, and allegedly pointed a gun at officers, which prompted authorities to "use less lethal force," officials said.
Authorities were unable to bring Ryan into custody at that point, in which negotiators and tactical teams were called to the scene.
Just over three hours after authorities arrived on scene, sometime before 1 a.m., Ryan exited the home and police took him into custody.
Ryan was transported to a local hospital under police watch for a bullet wound to his hand that Tempe officials say was self-inflicted.
On Wednesday, the Tempe Police Department announced it has recommended charges to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office after reviewing police reports of the incident, body-worn camera footage, and witness interviews.
Ryan is facing two counts of aggravated assault on a peace officer, one count for unlawful discharge of a firearm.
Ryan was the director of the Arizona Department of Corrections until he retired in 2019 following ABC15's "Unlocked and Unsafe" investigation that exposed cell door issues at Arizona's Lewis Prison.
