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The family of a Buckeye man killed in what officials describe as a self-defense shooting have filed a notice of claim alleging the Buckeye Police Department and Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office slow response resulted in the man’s death.
Isidro Meza, 44, died the evening of March 10 after he was shot following a dispute, according to the authorities. One man was arrested in the shooting. However, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office declined to press charges in July, stating that Meza was shot “in self-defense.”
But the notice of claim — which serves as a precursor to a lawsuit — submitted by attorney Fabian Zazueta on Sept. 8 argues that law enforcement’s “negligence” in responding so belatedly to the incident is in part to blame.
Officers didn’t arrive until he was already dead, the notice of claim alleges. This was after several 911 calls were made in the hours prior to the shooting.
The notice also introduces two new witnesses to the March 10 incident whose testimony called into question the claim that Meza was shot in self-defense.
“They just neglected this case since that first call (to 911) was made,” Meza’s wife, Evangelina Meza, told The Arizona Republic. “If they had come … if they had deescalated, my husband would be here.”
The lawsuit seeks a settlement of $950,000 from the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office and Buckeye Police Department, who, Zazueta argued, “deprived Eva a life with her husband” and “damaged Isidro’s minor children who will no longer have the love, care, and affection of their father.”
The agencies have 60 days from the date of the filing to respond to the notice, which will proceed to a lawsuit if the two parties do not reach a settlement.
Notice alleges multiple calls made to 911 as man ‘harasses’ family
The notice disputes the argument that Meza was shot in self-defense, instead contending that he and his family had been repeatedly harassed by a man in their neighborhood — the same man eventually arrested after Meza’s death. The notice alleges that on these other occasions, both the Sheriff’s Office and police were called, but no officer had ever been dispatched.
The Republic has opted not to name the man as he has not been formally charged with a crime.
Tensions culminated when a confrontation reportedly broke out between Meza’s sons and the man over a lost dog on the morning of March 10.
That’s when the first call to 911 was made, Evangelina Meza said. A total of three calls were made with the last occurring around noon. No officers were dispatched that morning, according to Meza.
Both law enforcement agencies declined to comment on the notice of claim and the allegations within it due to the pending litigation.
The first witness allegedly saw the man taunt and threaten one of the sons before they returned home. The witness also spoke with the man, who allegedly told her, “It’s not done, it’s not over yet.”
Armed with a shotgun, he and another man headed to the Meza residence later on, the notice continues.
Around 5 p.m., Meza was shot. The notice says that a second neighbor at this point witnessed the man shoot at Meza four times while he was laying on the ground.
Only after Meza was shot and lying on the ground did law enforcement arrive.
“The MCSO and/or the Buckeye Police Department directly, and proximately, caused the Isidro to suffer injuries by failing to dispatch officers to the Meza’s home and protect Isidro from (the neighbor),” the notice states.
Alongside negligence, the notice also accuses the agencies of gross negligence, wrongful death, negligent supervision/training/hiring, and other claims.
“It’s just disgusting,” said Evangelina Meza. “I have nothing. It’s just been negligence after negligence.”
Body-cam provides audio from shooting
In footage taken from the body-worn camera of the man who shot Meza shared with The Republic by the County Attorney’s Office, the man can be seen walking with a friend up and down the street where the Mezas lived.
The video is largely obscured by the man’s shirt, as the camera was clipped to his belt.
A profanity-laden exchange between Meza and the man leads to proposals to physically fight in the street, the video shows.
It’s unclear what happens next, but it appears the man starts running as shots are fired. It’s also unclear who fired their weapon first. Meza’s actions cannot be seen as they’re obscured by the shirt.
The man can then be heard yelling, “Call an ambulance.” Then he appears to take out his phone and send a voice message, saying, “I just shot Isidro,” before calling 911 and running in the opposite direction toward his house.
“I need an ambulance, shots fired,” he told the dispatcher. “I don’t know how bad he’s shot, he’s laying on the ground.”
He also told the dispatcher that Meza had “pulled a gun.”
Jennifer Liewer, spokesperson for the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, explained that they declined to press charges against the man who shot Meza based on this video, surveillance footage from the area and other evidence.
“In murder cases, we have to prove that the person did not act in self-defense,” Liewer said. “We don’t believe that we could make that case in the trial, saying that it wasn’t in self-defense.”
The county coroner’s autopsy report found that Meza was shot twice — once in the neck and chest, and once in the leg. It also detailed that Meza “brandished his firearm,” at which point the man pulled his and shot Meza.
Liewer declined to comment on the allegations that the Sheriff’s Office and Buckeye Police Department delayed in their response to emergency calls, citing pending litigation.
Reach the reporter at [email protected] or on Twitter @vv1lder.
Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/southwest-valley/2020/09/24/family-buckeye-man-killed-in-self-defense-shooting-blame-slow-law-enforcement-response/3507702001/
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