A former Paradise Valley School District staff member, Steven Charles Mitten, died by suicide on Wednesday amid investigation into allegations that he had sexually abused a student.
According to the Phoenix Police Department, on March 23, 2026, at around 4:54 p.m., officers responded to a call for service regarding the reported sexual abuse of a juvenile. Upon arrival, officers contacted an adult female who disclosed that when she was 16 years old, she had a sexual relationship with a staff member from Paradise Valley Unified School District that lasted approximately three years.
Detectives were able to establish probable cause for the arrest of 65-year-old Steven Charles Mitten.
On March 25, 2026, at around 4:29 p.m., detectives located Mitten in his vehicle. Detectives used a grappler to stop Mitten’s vehicle and attempted to take him into custody. Mitten refused commands and was armed with a firearm. During the encounter, he ultimately turned the weapon on himself. Once it was safe to do so, officers approached the vehicle and removed him. He was transported to a nearby hospital by the Phoenix Fire Department with a self‑inflicted gunshot wound, and he later died from his injuries.
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