Jose Enrique Cortez

Date: 11/3/2021          Location: Glendale, AZ         FACTORS (1,2,4,5,8,10,11,14,19)   

Name: Jose Enrique Cortez                          

Criminal History/Involved: Yes, Cortez had a previous arrest for kidnapping and an active felony warrant for that charge. / Yes, Cortez was creating a disturbance, damaging people’s vehicles, fled from police and rammed a police vehicle.  

Mental Illness: Yes, Cortez’s suicidal behavior is key indicator for mental illness.

Substance Abuse History/Involved: Unknown./ None reported.

Race/Sex/Age: Latino/Male/26

Officer(s) involved: Glendale police officers                                                                      

What prompted the initial contact with police? Shortly after midnight on November 3, 2021, Glendale police responded to a 911 call of a man “acting erratically” and “hitting cars with a hatchet.” Upon arriving in the area, the police encountered that man, Jose Cortez.

Actions taken by subject towards police: Upon seeing the officers, Cortez got into a vehicle and drove away, crashing into one of the marked police cars as he did so.  When the officers caught up to him, Cortez got out of his vehicle and was confrontational with the police, yelling at them, “shoot me.” One of the officers tased Cortez but he was unaffected by it. Cortez then charged at the officers, reaching back with his hand and making it appear as if he was accessing a concealed weapon in his rear waistband.

Reactions by the police: Fearing the combative Cortez was accessing a concealed weapon, one of the officers fatally shot him.

Outcome of investigation into the fatal police incident: The investigation is ongoing.

What could the subject have done that day to still be alive today? Cortez could still be alive today if he: did not act erratically, screaming in the street and hitting people’s cars; not fled once he saw the officers; complied with the officers and peacefully surrendered; not charge at the officers and make them think he was armed.

Miscellaneous: The tattoos on Cortez’s face could be indicative of gang membership and prison time for prior arrests not reported on. Given his behavior, it would not be surprising if the toxicology results reveal some kind of illegal substance in Cortez’s system.

Justified Use of Deadly Force? YES, Cortez had already proven he was violent by ramming a police car, so when he made furtive motions to get a concealed weapon, the officer had reasonable cause to believe Cortez was a deadly threat and therefore justified deadly force to neutralize him.