A report released last week by the Maricopa County Coroner’s Office proves that one of the officers involved in evicting Marcus Mungam from his home in June ultimately shot him in the neck. .
Authorities initially claimed the victim shot himself in the head, but the official report points to the obvious omission that he also shot himself.
The coroner’s report said it is still unclear which bullet killed Mungam, 33, who lived in an apartment complex in Arcadia.
Last June, Ms. Mungam received eviction papers at her home in Arcadia from three police officers, Douglas Clark, Steve Perkins and Carolyn Lane. State law stipulates that constables may only be used during eviction proceedings. If the resident remains at the scene after that, the police will be dispatched.
But Clark and Perkins returned four days later and broke in through the back glass door of Mungam’s apartment. According to investigative documents leaked to The Republic, Clark said he shouldn’t have entered the apartment, but he did, and that’s when Mungam started the first round. .
The two officers later told investigators that only Mungemmu shot himself in the head as he turned a corner to confront him.
However, county medical records tell a slightly different story, primarily that Marcus was also shot dead by the constable.
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Photos and investigative documents from private detectives and friends showed that at least one of the constables fired multiple shots, but no one confirmed the bullet that hit Mungam.
Mungem was shot once in the neck and also in the head, according to a review report released Wednesday. The report said the gunshot wounds were from two different guns, one from the constable and the other from Mungam’s.
It is not clear which bullet wound entered the body first. However, the gunshot to the head did not hit the temple directly, but entered it at an angle and passed through the top of Mungem’s skull.
Initially, the coroner ruled Mungem’s death a homicide. That changed later.
“Because both gunshot wounds were potentially fatal, the cause of death is best considered undetermined,” county coroner Caroline Cross said in a report.
The examiner’s report also did not mention which constable fired the gun, but records obtained by The Republic indicate that Mr. It is indicated that he received training in new firearms before returning.
Clark returned to work almost immediately, however, without obtaining permission from a mental health professional, as required by regulations set by the constable’s Ethics, Standards, and Training Committee.
Since the shooting, Mr. Lane has resigned as a constable of the Arcadia Department of Justice, and Mr. Clark has submitted his resignation almost unanimously to the board, giving Mr. Lane a 30-day probation.
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office has assigned the case to the Major Crimes Unit, but it’s unclear if the charges will be transferred to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, according to people inside the agency.
The Ethics Commission, which oversees state constables, also has two pending investigations into Clark. Mr Mungam’s death and another use of force during his eviction when he pulled out a weapon and held his occupants at gunpoint. At the last board meeting, it was unclear whether the investigation would be referred to a law firm.
As of last week, Maricopa County Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Jennifer Lewer said she had not received any referrals regarding either case. That means neither Clark nor Perkins have been charged with any crime.
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This article originally appeared in the Republic of Arizona. Maricopa County Coroner’s Report Shows Officer Shot Marcus Mungam
