Flagstaff Police Officer Cleared Of Wrongdoing In An April Shooting On East Route 66

A Flagstaff Police officer has been cleared of wrongdoing after an officer-involved shooting in Flagstaff back on April 8th of this year. Police say 52-year-old Matthew Dearing was on a bicycle at around 4:07 p.m. in the 21-hundred block of East Route 66, right across the street from Enterprise Rent-A-Car. The officer contacted Dearing and told him he knew who he was and the suspect had a warrant out for his arrest. As the officer was trying to arrest Dearing, he resisted and the officer pepper-sprayed him. In return, the suspect then sprayed pepper spray in the officer’s face. Dearing then went for something in his waistband, which was believed to be a knife. The officer told him to drop it and when he didn’t, the officer fired his weapon once, hitting Dearing in his neck. Dearing was tended to by the officer and his backup who just arrived. He was transported to Flagstaff Medical Center for treatment. While being treated, Dearing admitted to have smoked meth earlier in the day. The officer sustained minor eye injuries and was treated at the scene. The investigation showed the officer was within his right to use force in the matter and has been cleared.