Phoenix police release video footage of man with gun entering restaurant in December
Phoenix police released unseen video footage and 911 calls from a December standoff between officers and an armed man.
Marion Douglas Joyner, 62, was fatally shot by Phoenix police officers on Dec. 18 inside a Whataburger restaurant at 2910 W. Thunderbird Road.
Authorities and newly released surveillance footage reveal that Joyner entered the restaurant armed with a rifle and issued threats to everyone present. Customers and employees complied with his orders to leave, leaving him alone inside the establishment with the firearm.
Surveillance footage from inside the restaurant shows Joyner entering with a firearm and moving to an area behind the cash registers. An employee and a patron are seen fleeing immediately, followed by three additional employees who leave from behind the registers to exit the establishment.
Both a witness outside of the restaurant and a Whataburger employee called 911. On Thursday, Phoenix police released audio recordings of both calls.
"There's a guy that just walked into the (Whataburger) holding an AR rifle," the witness said. "... He came ripping into the parking lot, slammed on his brakes and just walked in with it pointed straight up in the air."
The employee who called 911 said Joyner walked into the restaurant through the back with what looked like a "9mm and an assault rifle."
Phoenix police said officers surrounded the building and closed nearby roads.
Phoenix police Sgt. Brian Bower said, "A standoff between (Joyner) and police began and lasted more than 20 minutes."
At one point during the standoff, Joyner walked out of the restaurant and pointed his firearm at a police helicopter overhead, according to Bower.
Before officers could begin negotiation attempts, Joyner shot at them three times from inside the restaurant ― through the windows ― and hit a parked patrol car, according to Bower.
Bower said officers returned fire twice.
After gunfire was exchanged, a police drone was sent into the Whataburger. According to Bower, Joyner was shot fatally by officers as he raised his weapon up to the drone.
Bower said lifesaving measures were performed on Joyner, but he was pronounced dead at the scene by personnel from the Phoenix Fire Department.
Body camera footage from the five officers who shot at Joyner was also released. According to Phoenix police, none of the officers was injured and all five of them worked for the Cactus Park Precinct.
An administrative investigation into the actions of the officers will be conducted, Bower said. The Maricopa County Attorney's Office will also review the incident. Information gathered from the investigations will be released at a later date.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: New information about Phoenix police shooting at fast food chain
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