Phoenix Police Release Edited Bodycam Video After Man Dies When His Gun Fires During Struggle

Incident began with a 911 report involving a firearm and two children

Phoenix police have released edited body-worn camera footage from a Feb. 23, 2026 encounter in south Phoenix that ended with a man fatally wounded when his own gun discharged during a physical struggle with officers. The officer involved was also injured, and the department says an internal administrative investigation remains ongoing.

The case centers on 34-year-old Dylan Fohrenkam. Police said officers were dispatched to the area of 15th and Atlanta avenues after a 911 caller reported that Fohrenkam had pointed a gun at himself and at his young daughters near a park. The caller told dispatchers the man had moved toward the park’s bathroom area and had not left.

Bodycam video shows pursuit and an attempted less-lethal intervention

In the released footage, officers arrive and receive information from witnesses pointing them to a man leaving the park on a bicycle. Police vehicles follow as officers wait for additional resources, then the man is seen moving toward the area near 18th Avenue and Atlanta Avenue, where police said he jumped off the bicycle and ran toward a nearby house.

Police said one officer fired a less-lethal launcher during the attempt to detain him, but it did not stop him. The footage then shows officers closing distance as commands are shouted and a struggle begins.

Gunfire captured as audio; police say no officer fired a weapon

Investigators said a second officer tackled Fohrenkam and, as both went to the ground, the gun discharged. Police said the discharge injured both Fohrenkam and the officer. In the edited bodycam clips, officers can be heard warning that a gun is present and asking where the weapon is as they attempt to restrain him. A separate clip captures the sound of the gunshot and officers immediately reacting to possible injuries.

Police said the gun that discharged was recovered at the scene and later documented in a photo released with the video materials.

Fohrenkam was transported to a hospital, where police said he later died from his injuries. The officer was also taken to a hospital and treated for injuries described as minor.

What is known about oversight and the next steps

Police said the involved officer is assigned to the South Mountain Precinct and has seven years of service with the department. The department said no outside agency is involved because officers did not fire their guns. Police said conclusions about whether the officer’s actions complied with policy and law will not be made until the investigation is complete.

• Date of incident: Feb. 23, 2026
• Location: area of 15th and Atlanta avenues, Phoenix
• Outcome: one civilian death; one officer injured
• Evidence released: edited body-worn camera video and a photo of the recovered firearm