Mesa Police Shoot Ax-Wielding Suspect in Domestic Violence Incident

On the night of August 3, 2026, Mesa police responded to multiple 911 calls reporting that 59‑year‑old Perry Forster was assaulting his ex‑wife and children and damaging vehicles in an east Mesa neighborhood near Signal Butte and Elliot Roads. Witnesses said Forster was carrying an ax and may have also had a firearm. Officers located him, issued verbal commands, and when he allegedly lunged at an officer with the ax, an officer opened fire, fatally wounding Forster. He was pronounced dead at the scene; no officers or family members were injured.

The incident caused extensive property damage, with numerous cars on the block smashed or broken. Neighbors captured video of Forster walking with the weapon before the shooting and reported hearing multiple gunshots. The Gilbert Police Department is leading the investigation under the East Valley Critical Incident Response Team protocol, while Mesa police continue to investigate the preceding domestic‑violence allegations.