Phoenix Critical Incident Briefing: Officer-Involved Shooting Near 47th Avenue And Greenway Road

Phoenix AZ

23 March, 2021

7:23 AM

Description

Press release from the City of Phoenix: March 22, 2021 WARNING: The attached video may contain strong language as well as graphic images which may be disturbing to some people. Viewer discretion is advised. The Phoenix Police Department released a Critical Incident Briefing (CIB) video that includes audio, visuals and information related to an officer-involved shooting (OIS) which occurred on March 8, 2021 in the area of 47th Avenue and Greenway Road. This incident started around 2:00 p.m., when Community Action Officers from the Cactus Park Precinct were at a residence to help a couple with yard maintenance due to their bushes and trees being overgrown. While speaking with the male homeowner outside, the suspect, later identified as 51-year-old Larissa Boulais, came out of the house onto the patio, armed with a gun. She then shot at officers and yelled at them as she retreated back into the house. The officers were able to move the male homeowner to safety. Boulais then exited the residence a second time, this time near the garage, and pointed the gun at an officer. That officer fired his weapon at Boulais causing her to go back inside the home. She was not struck by the officer's gunfire. Over the course of almost 7 and a half hours, officers from the Special Assignment Unit attempted to communicate with Boulais. They used several tools in an effort to have Boulais exit the house, including gas, less lethal munition, and communicating over a loudspeaker in an attempt to have Boulais exit the residence, but she refused. Just before 10:00 p.m., officers, who were now inside the residence, were able to arrest Boulais inside of a bedroom with the assistance of gas and the less lethal rounds. Boulais was transported to the hospital for injuries resulting from the less lethal rounds and gas. After she was released, she was booked for aggravated assault on a police officer, aggravated assault, weapons violations, and endangerment. The officer involved in the shooting is assigned to the Cactus Park Precinct and has six years of service with the Phoenix Police Department. There were no injuries to officers or other community members. Conclusions about whether the actions of the officers are consistent with department policy and the law will not be made until all facts are known and the investigation is complete. An internal investigation by the Professional Standard Bureau is currently underway, in addition to a criminal investigation. Once the criminal investigation is complete it will then be reviewed by the Maricopa County Attorney's Office. Public records law required redaction of certain personal identifying information before video is released publicly. This is why you may see some parts of Body Worn Camera (BWC) blurred or covered with a black box. Redacted video is released to local media in conjunction with the release of this Critical Incident Briefing for independent review and publication. Complete, unedited versions of the BWC are released to attorneys and the courts as evidence in a criminal case. Directory This press release was produced by the City of Phoenix. The views expressed here are the author's own.