Michelle Cusseaux was 50 and living in Phoenix when officers came to her apartment on August 14, 2014, for a court-ordered mental health pickup after her mother sought inpatient care and a wellness check was requested following threatening calls to a mental health facility. Officers forced entry after she did not open a locked security door and found her standing near the doorway holding a hammer. Sergeant Percy Dupra fired one shot that struck Cusseaux in the chest; she was pronounced dead at a hospital about half an hour later.

Her death sparked protests and a march to Phoenix City Hall by family and activists. The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office declined criminal charges, but the Phoenix Police Department’s Use of Force Board found the shooting violated policy, citing Dupra’s failure to properly supervise and control the scene; he was demoted and removed from patrol eligibility. Cusseaux’s mother filed a wrongful death lawsuit, and the department reviewed procedures and created a special mental health squad.

If anyone knew Michelle or witnessed the incident, please share what you remember.