Sheriff in Nancy Guthrie case faces $176M lawsuit over man shot by deputies
- Axeel Melendez, 24, is suing Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, 13 deputies and other county officials for $176 million after being shot and paralyzed by officers responding to a fake emergency call.
- Melendez claims deputies exhibited “rash decision-making” when they shot him at his home, resulting in a complete spinal cord injury and a broken leg.
- The incident followed a false 311 call from someone impersonating Melendez, alleging his father had shot his sister, despite Melendez having previously warned the department about hackers threatening to make such reports.
- The lawsuit alleges deputies ignored multiple signs that the call was fake, including inconsistent details, the absence of typical background sounds, and a Wisconsin phone number, and entered the home without attempting to contact Melendez.
- Sheriff Nanos, named in the lawsuit, is also currently overseeing the criticized investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, mother of Today anchor Savannah Guthrie.
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