Glendale police were responding to a domestic violence call on the evening of Jan. 8, arriving to find the suspect had fled. While searching for the man, whom officers were told was 23 years old, the cops encountered a man sitting in Horizon Park, located near 47th and Dunlap avenues. Police said cops shot and killed him because the man allegedly "made a movement towards his waistband.”
Afterward, the police determined the man was not their suspect but instead an unrelated 46-year-old Dillon Siebeck, who was unarmed. Police said they later found their intended suspect in his car, suffering from an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound. That man later died.
Siebeck is from Tucson. According to ABC15, he was a father and Army veteran who’d struggled with mental health issues. The station reported that Siebeck had been released from an Arizona prison nine days earlier.
Neither the Glendale Police Department nor the Peoria Police Department, which is investigating the incident, have released much more information, including the name of the 23-year-old suspect who died. One person demanding accountability and transparency is Analise Ortiz, the Democratic lawmaker set to be sworn in as a state senator later this week. The killing happened in Ortiz’s district.
“Anytime a police officer shoots and kills someone, there needs to be full transparency and a thorough investigation,” Ortiz told New Times. “In this case, the fact that this person who was shot and killed was not even the person that police were after is absolutely horrifying.”
To New Times and in a press release, Ortiz highlighted the larger issue of policing in the Valley and the United States.
“This pattern of police shooting first and asking questions later is a common pattern that we see, and in this case, it ended up being deadly for an innocent person,” Ortiz told New Times. “There needs to be accountability and there needs to be answers. My constituents use the park and enjoy the park. Nobody should have to fear that when they’re out and about, a police officer is just going to rush up on them and take their lives.”
Glendale Police Chief Chris Briggs released a statement on Thursday, saying his officers are faced with “dangerous and complex situations” daily and that the department will "strive for transparency and cooperation” in the case.
“We have confidence in the process and know that the Peoria Police Department will do a thorough and professional investigation for the County Attorney to review,” Briggs said.
Glendale police shot and killed the wrong man Wednesday night.
Manny Marko / Creative Commons
Transparency and police killings
Glendale Councilmember Lupe Conchas, who took office in December, had little to say about the shooting when contacted by New Times.“We’re waiting for the investigation of the Peoria Police Department,” said Conchas. “I am in contact and communication with the city attorney, and that’s all I can say.”
When asked if the police killing of an unarmed man in a case of mistaken identity raised any concerns, he demurred.
“At this time I do not want to comment on that because I don’t have all of the details or the facts,” Conchas said. “There’s a sensitive nature to this one with how raw it is and I’m asking for some time to gather all of the facts and information.”
Conchas said since he was a new councilmember, he was unsure about the council’s protocol for receiving and reviewing body-worn camera footage from police.
It may take some time for that footage to see the light of day. Public records requests for camera footage can take weeks or months. Ortiz sponsored a bill to create a Family Bill of Rights last year that would have ensured the loved ones of those killed by police have access to more information. That bill died.
About two years ago, a 15-year-old was shot and killed by Glendale police, prompting calls for more transparency. Ortiz noted that she was in contact with the boy’s family, who faced challenges getting clear answers from the police department.
“The one common factor we often see,” Ortiz said, “is the families are shut out of the process.”
