Pima County Sheriff Lawsuit Seeks $176 Million After Deputy Shooting Leaves Man Paralyzed

A $176 million lawsuit against the Pima County Sheriff's Department alleges that deputies shot and permanently disabled a 24-year-old man in response to a fake emergency call, despite the man having warned the department days earlier that he was being targeted for such an attack. The notice of claim, filed on behalf of Axeel Melendez and his mother Carmen Melendez, represents the second major legal action against Sheriff Chris Nanos in recent weeks.

The Swatting Attack and Shooting

On April 10, a caller impersonating Melendez contacted the city's 311 non-emergency line, reporting that his father had shot his sister and providing Melendez's home address. According to court filings reviewed by his attorney Dev Sethi, the call contained multiple red flags suggesting it was fraudulent. The caller mispronounced Melendez's first name, and Sethi noted that individuals reporting actual emergencies do not typically use the non-emergency 311 number.

When deputies arrived at the residence, they forced entry through a bedroom window using a shovel. Melendez, awakened by the commotion, retrieved a legally registered firearm and positioned himself behind a door while instructing his mother to hide. Deputies fired seven shots through the door, striking Melendez in the leg and spine, leaving him paralyzed from the chest down.

Prior Warning Ignored

The lawsuit emphasizes that Melendez had actively sought help days before the shooting. Less than 48 hours prior to the April 10 call, someone who had hacked his personal information while he played a multiplayer video game threatened him with ransom demands and warned they would contact U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to deport him based on his Hispanic name. Melendez immediately called 911 to report the threat.

The 911 operator allegedly downplayed the danger, telling Melendez that such tactics would not result in law enforcement deployment. However, after Melendez reported receiving a suspicious call to his address, responding deputies recognized it as fraudulent and contacted him with assurances. The department promised to notify him if additional suspicious calls involving his address were received. That promise was not kept when the April 10 call came in less than 48 hours later.

Sethi characterized the handling of both the initial threat report and the subsequent swatting response as examples of departmental negligence. His statement emphasized that Melendez posed no threat at the moment officers entered the home and that proper threat assessment protocols appear not to have been followed. The lawsuit against Sheriff Nanos and the department seeks compensation for medical costs, loss of independence, inability to earn income, and psychological harm resulting from the incident.