● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportMedium impact1 negative
Man paralyzed by police in swatting incident seeks $176 million from Pima County
Key points
- Axeel Melendez was paralyzed after being shot by deputies during a swatting incident.
- Melendez filed a notice of claim seeking $176 million from Pima County.
- He had warned 911 about potential swatting days before the incident.
- The county attorney's office is analyzing the complex case.
Swatting Incident Leads to Paralysis
Axeel Melendez, 24, was shot multiple times by Pima County sheriff's deputies responding to a false 911 call, leaving him paralyzed from the chest down. The incident occurred on April 10, after online hackers falsely reported a shooting at his home, a practice known as "swatting."
Legal Claim Filed Against Pima County
Melendez has filed a notice of claim against the Pima County Sheriff's Department and Pima County, seeking $176 million in damages. The claim alleges that deputies and 911 dispatchers failed to respond appropriately to the swatting call. This notice is a mandatory first step in Arizona law for civil cases against public entities, and the county has 60 days to respond before a lawsuit can be filed.
Prior Warning to Authorities
Crucially, Melendez had contacted 911 and Sheriff's Department employees just two days before the shooting, expressing his fears of being swatted. This prior communication is central to the claim, suggesting that authorities were aware of the potential for a false report at his address.
County's Response and Impact of Swatting
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos declined to comment on the specifics of the claim, referring inquiries to County Attorney Laura Conover. Conover stated that her office is conducting a "deeply complex" analysis to ensure legal protocols were followed. The FBI defines swatting as a malicious act that creates chaos and can result in violence, as tragically demonstrated in this case. Melendez is now undergoing extensive therapy to adjust to life as a paraplegic.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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Reporting from
Axeel Melendez, paralyzed after being shot by Pima County deputies during a swatting incident, is seeking $176 million from Pima County. Melendez had previously alerted authorities to his fears of being swatted, raising questions about the response protocols for such calls. This case highlights the severe physical and legal consequences of swatting, a malicious act of falsely reporting emergencies to dispatch law enforcement to an innocent person's location.