PHOENIX (AP) - A Mesa police officer has been charged with aggravated assault for shooting an unarmed man during a disturbance call six months ago, marking one of the rare cases in which prosecutors in metro Phoenix have brought charges against officers.
Authorities say Officer Nathan Chisler, who was charged Wednesday, shot the man in a sports bar parking lot on Dec. 6 after he resisted attempts by officers to detain him. The victim, who was later charged with resisting arrest and assaulting an officer, was shot in the lower left leg and survived his injuries.
Officers were called to the bar after getting complaints of intoxicated and disorderly customers. The victim is accused of ignoring officers’ commands and assaulting an officer. Investigators say a struggle ensued that ended with Chisler firing his gun.
The officer told investigators that he feared for his and fellow officers’ safety when he fired the shot.
It’s unclear whether Chisler has an attorney who can comment on his behalf.
Chisler, who wasn’t arrested but rather charged by summons, remains employed with the Mesa Police Department, which has recommended that he be fired.
It’s rare for prosecutors in metro Phoenix to bring charges against officers in on-duty shootings.
The last prosecution of an officer in a shooting came in 2017, when a jury acquitted former Mesa Officer Philip Brailsford of a murder charge in the January 2016 shooting of an unarmed man at a hotel.
Former Phoenix Police Officer Richard Chrisman was convicted of manslaughter in the 2010 shooting death of a 29-year-old man during a domestic violence call.
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