Street renamed to honor Apache Junction police officer killed in line of duty

By Richard Dyer
Mail | X: @RHDyer

A street in south Apache Junction has been replatted and renamed to honor a police officer killed in the line of duty, Officer Gabriel Facio.

Facio, 46, a three-year veteran on the force, died June 8 from injuries suffered while answering a June 2 radio call about a driver waving a gun in what was described as a threatening manner. He is the first Apache Junction police officer to be killed in the line of duty.

The idea for renaming the street was suggested to the city by an official with housing developer D.R. Horton, City Manager Bryant Powell said during the City Council’s Sept. 2 meeting.

“Not too long after the very devastating and horrible events that occurred in early June in the city of Apache Junction, I was proactively contacted by D.R. Horton — the builder that’s in the southern part of the city — to reach out if there was anything they could do. I said, ‘Well, we’re still just trying to sort through it,’ and they said, ‘Well, what about renaming one of our streets?’” Powell said.

The city’s planning and zoning department said a replat would be needed to change the name, Assistant City Manager Matt Busby said.

“We thought this was a great idea, of course, and as a result the planning and zoning department just laid out what needed to happen, which involves a replat of those areas down there to rename the street officially. And so this road will change from being Davis Drive officially to now Officer Facio Drive through the adoption of these replats,” he said.

“And it’s a big section — fairly significant road down in that area. It will be traveled on forever and be forever in his name in honor of our officer,” Powell said.

Officer Facio Drive is off Radiance Avenue west of Ironwood Drive and north of Ray Avenue, according to the replat document.

The Apache Junction City Council on Sept. 3 voted unanimously to approve two items on the agenda — the replat of the map of dedication for Officer Facio Drive, originally filed as Davis Drive; and the replat of Superstition Vistas, Phase 1B, to change the name of Davis Drive to Officer Facio Drive.

Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.

Richard Dyer
Managing Editor | East Valley

rdyer@iniusa.org

Meet Richard
Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.  

Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions. 

Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.

Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.

Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.