The 42-year-old man who died near 400 North Scottsdale Road after being shot Friday night by a police officer has been identifed at Joseph Santos.

The Mesa Police Department, which is conducting an investigation of the officer-involved shooting, released the name Saturday morning.

Mesa authorities also stated in a release that "this will be the only update we provide until the investigation is complete." 

At about 10:15 p.m. March 7, Scottsdale officers received information about a suspect threatening a person while brandishing a gun.

The suspect left the scene before officers arrived, but authorities found the vehicle involved and began a traffic stop.

The man fled, according to a release from the Scottsdale Police Department, and returned to the  location of the suspected gun threat.

“While other officers were contacting the victim on scene, the suspect returned and pulled in directly behind a patrol vehicle. The suspect failed to obey commands and continued reaching behind him for an object inside the vehicle,” the release stated.

“A K9 was deployed, and an officer-involved shooting took place. One officer fired his weapon, striking the suspect and the K9.”

Santos died from his injuries at the scene, police said.

The K9 was taken to a veterinary clinic and is in stable condition.

The Mesa Police Department is part of the East Valley Critical Incident Response Team.

EVCIRT includes members from the Apache Junction, Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Paradise Valley, Queen Creek, Scottsdale and Tempe police departments.

"EVCIRT will provide greater transparency and accountability because agencies involved in the critical force incident will not be directly involved in the criminal investigation," Mesa police stated in the March 8 release.

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