A man shot himself Thursday night after an hours-long shootout with a Coconino County sheriff’s deputy, according to his agency.
At approximately 6:46 p.m., sheriff’s deputies traveled to a camper van in the Winona neighborhood east of Flagstaff to arrest 57-year-old Russell McCrory for probation violations. According to the sheriff’s office, McCrory refused to go out.
McCrory eventually pulled out a gun and said he didn’t want to go to jail, refusing to cooperate with the deputy, the agency detailed.
According to the sheriff’s office, Flagstaff police were reported on April 5 by a person who claimed that McCrory was going to “bring his .45 into court and blow everyone up” and kill two parole officers. I received
According to the sheriff’s office, the sheriff did not leave the mobile home because he learned that McCrory was armed with a pistol and that he had made an alleged threat.
After the failed release of McCrory, the sheriff’s office called in the sheriff’s K-9 unit, a multi-agency SWAT team, and negotiators, the sheriff’s office said.
Authorities said SWAT attempted to defuse the situation for five hours before deploying tear gas at the house, shortly after which a gunshot was heard from inside the house.
SWAT officers entered the house and found McCrory dead from a gunshot wound.
The sheriff’s office said the Criminal Investigation Division and the county coroner’s office are investigating.
Coconino County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson John Paxton said McCrory was on probation for drug possession.
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