Body-cam shows man pointing gun at Phoenix police before hours-long standoff

Police have released new body-cam video of officers shooting at a man they say pointed a gun at them, leading to an hours-long standoff in a Phoenix neighborhood last month. On Dec. 21, officers tried to pull over a car with two women and a man inside near 47th Avenue and Vineyard Road, north of Baseline Road. However, police say the driver, 42-year-old Jennifer Covington, didn’t stop and kept driving. Officers followed Covington to 41st Avenue and Lydia Lane, south of Southern Avenue.

Officers say Covington eventually pulled over, and one of the passengers, 30-year-old Jesus Banuelos, got out of the car and began running away. He then climbed a wall into a homeowner’s backyard, investigators said. Police began searching the neighborhood and found him in the front yard of the house, hiding behind a car. Officers began running toward Banuelos, who was holding a gun. “Put your hands up!” one officer yells. “Show me your hands!” another officer says.

Banuelos pointed a gun at one officer, prompting police to fire four shots at him, investigators said. The gunfire hit the car and garage door. Banuelos then falls to the ground and points the gun at his head. “Hey, he’s by the gun, watch out!” one officer tells another. “He’s got his gun to his head, just step back over here. He’s got his gun to his head.” An officer then tells Banuelos, “OK, we’re going to help you; put the gun down. We will help you.”

Investigators say Banuelos then moved toward a side gate, still holding the gun to his head. Another officer’s body-cam video shows Banuelos scooting over to the side gate and shielded by a car. Police negotiated with him for three hours until he dropped the gun and was arrested. He was taken to the hospital but wasn’t injured in the shooting. No officers were hurt. Covington was later found and arrested. Police detained the other woman inside the car, but she was later released.