A pawn shop manager called police after seeing an injured woman signal for help.
GLENDALE, Ariz. — A pawn shop manager’s 911 call brought Glendale officers to a domestic violence report Wednesday morning, ending minutes later when police shot a knife-wielding suspect inside the business.
The incident happened near 67th Avenue and Bell Road after police said a man and woman entered the shop and the woman tried to buy a firearm. Officers said the manager saw a large cut on her hand and noticed her silently asking for help.
Glendale Lt. Wade Kamman said investigators were still working to determine why the firearm purchase was being attempted and whether the man was barred from buying one himself. The manager’s call brought officers to the business shortly before 10:30 a.m. Police said the first officers entered and tried to separate the man and woman. The situation escalated when the man became agitated, pulled the woman close and displayed a knife, according to police.
Kamman said one officer first tried a less-lethal tool, but it was ineffective. A second officer then fired and hit the man. The woman was freed and later hospitalized for the hand injury. Police said her injury was connected to the domestic violence call, but they did not release more details about when or how she was cut. The man was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
Outside the shop, officers blocked off a wide part of the parking lot as detectives began collecting evidence. Nearby business owner Scott Repman said the response was fast and quiet. “The police showed up, no lights, no sirens. They were very quiet,” Repman said. He said the gunfire came within seconds of another officer arriving. No officers were hurt, and police said people nearby were not in danger after the shooting.
The shooting remained under investigation Friday. Police had not publicly identified the suspect, the woman or the officer who fired. Investigators also had not announced charges. The business was expected to be closed for several hours Wednesday while police documented the scene, reviewed video and interviewed witnesses from the shop and nearby businesses.
The case added to a statewide count of officer-involved shootings this year. Police said the immediate focus remained on the domestic violence investigation, the actions inside the pawn shop and the officer’s use of force.
Author note: Last updated May 22, 2026.