Homestead family on shooting: ‘shocked’ but ‘safe’

Andrew Harrison and his wife Jaime were spending a typical, quiet Sunday morning with their two sons when the sound of gunshots pierced the air.

Sirens soon followed in their Homestead North neighborhood.

Officers shoot armed man to death in Homestead

First-responders were arriving to the scene of an officer-involved shooting. According to police, an allegedly armed man confronted officers about 8 a.m. and was shot in the street. His body fell under the street signs at West Robbins Drive and North Mac Neil Street.

When Andrew Harrison heard the sirens behind his home, he checked the Citizen app on his phone and darted out the door with his boys to see what was happening down the street and around the corner.

“We saw a fire truck come down the street, then an unmarked police car came,” Harrison said. “We walked to the corner and saw an ambulance and a fire truck, and the paramedics had jumped out and were working on the guy (the victim).

“I saw the body when we got to the corner, and he wasn’t moving,” he continued. “I told the kids to stay back, and luckily they listened. They didn’t see anything. We were just far enough from the corner that they couldn’t see around. Once the victim was in the ambulance, I let them come around to see the scene.”

He said he and his sons had pedaled their bikes through the intersection on Saturday night.

Jaime Harrison, an InMaricopa employee, was in a bedroom when she heard 4-5 gunshots ring out. It was a bit of a shock on a quiet Sunday morning, she said.

“Once in a while we’ll hear fireworks, but this morning … I knew it was gunshots. It’s a little shocking.” – Jaime Harrison, Homestead resident

“It was a little surprising to hear gunshots right in the neighborhood this morning,” she said. “Once in a while we’ll hear fireworks, but this morning … I knew it was gunshots. It’s a little shocking. I don’t have any fear for my safety, but I am glad everything was taken care of so quickly. I am curious about what happened and what caused it.”

The incident is under investigation by the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office. The names of the victim and the officers involved have not been released.

Andrew Harrison said he continues to feel safe in the neighborhood.

“I’m glad it was the police and not just a random shooting,” he said. “It’s the first incident like that in the eight years we’ve been here. When we hear sirens it’s usually just paramedics for a neighbor.

“If it was random, I definitely would be selling the house.”