A 24-year-old Arizona man remains paralyzed from the chest down after sheriff's deputies shot him eight times during what authorities believed was an active shooting response at his home near Tucson on April 10—a call that prosecutors now say was a swatting hoax the deputies had been warned about less than 48 hours earlier.
Background
Axeel Melendez contacted the Pima County Sheriff's Department on April 8 after hackers who obtained his personal information while he was playing online video games threatened to send police to his home in a swatting attack, according to a notice of claim filed by his attorneys. The hackers allegedly told him they would falsely report that he had a bomb or create another emergency response at his address unless he paid them.
During the call, Melendez expressed fear about the threat to a 911 dispatcher, who reportedly assured him there was nothing to worry about.
"They can't just call SWAT on you. That's not how that works," the dispatcher said, according to KPHO. "Nothing's going to happen."
According to the filing, an investigation confirmed at least one of the fraudulent calls and told Melendez he should be safe from future false reports because he had already contacted authorities.
The Investigation
Less than 48 hours later, someone impersonating Melendez called 911 claiming his father had shot his younger sister inside the family's home. The caller was not Melendez, and investigators later determined it was likely another swatting attempt.
The notice of claim alleges dispatchers and deputies failed to connect the emergency call with the earlier warning Melendez had provided. His attorneys argue there were multiple indicators the report was fake: inconsistent information from the caller, lack of expected background sounds during a shooting report, and use of an out-of-state phone number.
Deputies arrived believing they were responding to an active shooting. Unable to gain entry through the front door, they broke a rear bedroom window with a shovel and entered, ordering whoever was inside to put their hands up.
Melendez, who was in the room holding his mother's legally registered handgun after hearing the window shatter, can be heard reacting as deputies entered. Within seconds, deputies fired eight shots. Two rounds struck Melendez, causing injuries that included a shattered leg, broken ribs, and a spinal cord injury leaving him unable to walk.
"He did everything he was supposed to do," attorney Dev Sethi said. "He immediately reported the swatting threats against him, he asked the sheriff's department for help, and he believed PCSD personnel when they promised to keep him safe."
Sethi noted that beyond monetary damages, Melendez's claim seeks policy reforms requiring better coordination between dispatch centers and field units when prior warnings about potential hoaxes exist. The attorneys are pushing for mandatory protocols that would require deputies and emergency call-takers to cross-reference addresses against documented threat reports before responding with force.
Carmen Melendez, who was inside the home during the shooting, told KOLD she rushed toward her son after the shots were fired.
"I walked towards my son. He was on the floor," she said. "He said, 'I love you, Mom.'" She added that the incident has left her questioning whether law enforcement protocols adequately protect innocent people from swatting attacks, calling for systemic changes to prevent other families from experiencing similar tragedies.
Key Takeaways
- Melendez filed a notice of claim against Pima County, Sheriff Chris Nanos, and other county officials seeking $176 million in damages
- The filing alleges deputies ignored multiple warning signs that the 911 call was fraudulent before forcing entry into the home
- Two of eight shots fired struck Melendez, causing a permanent spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed from the chest down
- The sheriff's department declined to comment, citing pending litigation
What's Next
Under Arizona law, Pima County and the sheriff's department have 60 days to respond to the notice of claim before it is considered denied, allowing Melendez to move forward with a formal lawsuit. The filing names multiple deputies, dispatch personnel, county officials, and the Pima County Attorney's Office. Melendez asserts his injuries ended his plans to pursue a career in automotive engineering after attending trade school.