CCSO spokesman John Paxton said the suspected robbery who was shot dead in an alleged attack on a Coconino County sheriff’s deputy is being treated at Flagstaff Medical Center this week.
Eric Adamson, a 32-year-old Peoria man, allegedly broke into Donnie Park’s home shortly after 3 a.m. on July 27. A few minutes later, he was found by CCSO Lieutenant Sergeant Jess Payne. Payne ordered Adamson to step back and kneel so he could be handcuffed. When Payne tried to handcuff Adamson, he turned him and attempted to tackle the officer.
After Adamson reached for it, Payne fired a mission weapon he had already drawn, CCSO said. Body camera footage released by the CCSO appears to show Adamson shot in the arm. Agents applied a tourniquet to the wound, but it is not clear if Adamson was injured in other ways.
Upon release, Adamson will be charged with robbery and assault on a police officer and will be sent to prison.
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The house he allegedly broke into is surrounded by a five-foot high chain link fence. Outside, two American flags flutter above a sign intended to make it clear to passers-by and intruders that residents have guns. It reads, “Intruders are shot, survivors are shot again.”
The house is home to a father, Daniel, and his four-year-old daughter.
“My house was pitch black and I saw a figure in it,” said Daniel, who asked not to give his last name. “Home is a safe place for you, not a place where you expect to meet strangers.”
At that moment, Daniel told the Arizona Daily Sun that all he wanted was to get the intruder out of the house.
According to the statement, the suspect walked about eight meters from the doorway into the dining room when Daniel approached him with a gun. He said he tried to keep a distance of about 12 feet from would-be robbers.
“I said something to the effect of ‘What are you doing?'” recalls Daniel. “I don’t know why you said that. As I was asking, I realized that there was no bullet in it, so I put it in in front of him.”
Daniel said it may have been a good thing the intruder knew his gun was loaded.
“I’m shocked I didn’t shoot him. I replayed the situation a million times in my head, as any responsible gun owner does. I thought I’d shoot him. Actually. When I was in that situation, all I wanted was for him to get out of the house,” Danielle said.
Daniel asked the intruder if he was alone and told him to go the way he came at gunpoint. The intruder complied.
At that point, he called 911.
“He was fortunate enough to have my decision to move out of the house. I am happy with my choice,” Danielle said.
He didn’t grow up with guns in the house. His mother was anti-gun. His father was a foreign military man. He said he discovered shooting as a hobby when he was in his 20s and enjoyed the sport. He also thought about applying gun ownership to self-defense.
“This was a reminder to me why we have the Second Amendment: to protect ourselves and our families.”
Daniel said he still felt safe at home, largely because he believed the suspect was the one most at risk during the break-in.
A CCSO representative answered the home and asked permission to search the premises. Danielle said he heard Payne open fire and saw police officers leave his compound to assist.
“They were great. Everyone at Force was great. They were all very kind and polite and did a great job,” Daniel added.
He said nothing was stolen during the break-in.
Windows were smashed at several homes in his neighborhood that night, the CCSO confirmed. Investigators are looking into these possible break-ins, but have yet to find a link to the incident at Adamson’s or Danielle’s homes.
Payne is on leave in accordance with CCSO policy. No other details about the police-involved shooting or the ensuing investigation were available at this time.
Sierra Ferguson can be reached at sierra.ferguson@lee.net.
