A suspected bank robber, Stephen Phil Franco, is dead after he appeared to pull his gun on Mesa Police Department officers.
According to the Tempe Police Department, on Wednesday, September 29, 2021 Mesa Police Department detectives tracked the 37-year-old Franco to an apartment complex at 202 E. Baseline Rd., Tempe. Franco was being sought in connection with the bank robbery that occurred on Monday, September 27 at the Desert Financial Credit Union, located at 1262 North Stapley Dr. in Mesa.
As Mesa Police Department detectives attempted to contact Franco but he barricaded himself inside of his vehicle and stated that he had a firearm and refused multiple police commands to get out of the car.
Mesa Police Department SWAT members were called to assist. SWAT members attempted to get Franco to exit the vehicle first through negotiations and then by using beanbag rounds and a chemical agent when he continued to refuse to get out of the car.
After Mesa SWAT deployed the chemical agent into Franco’s vehicle he got out and started walking to the rear of the vehicle. At that time officers attempted to use less than lethal force by using bean bags but they had little affect on Franco, and he continued to walk to the rear of his vehicle.
Police attempted to use a Tempe Police Department canine to gain compliance with police commands. However, Franco lowered his hand to his waist down reaching for a handgun at which time officers shot him.
He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased. Officers found a gun located on the ground in the area behind Franco’s vehicle where he was seen standing before the shooting occurred.