Family, friends of Glendale teen killed by police urges for transparency, accountability

GLENDALE, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) — Family, friends and activists are calling for justice, accountability and transparency for their loved one, Juan Carlos Borojquez after he was shot and killed by Glendale Police in July. “I hope my brother did not suffer. I do not wish this pain on my worst enemy. The cruelty and harshness the city of Glendale has shown my brother is wrong,” said Jose, Juan Carlos’ brother.

Glendale Police said the body-worn camera that was released last month is the only one available. It shows an assisting officer responding after the shots were fired. Police said undercover detectives tracked a stolen car to 15-year-old Juan Carlos and his teen cousin, who were in at an apartment complex near 63rd Avenue and Citrus Way, which is north of Bethany Home, in Glendale. Officers said the teen boy was shot and killed when he reached for a handgun during a struggle with those detectives.

In March, months before being shot and killed, Juan Carlos was arrested, accused of being a passenger of a stolen Phoenix Police officer’s personal vehicle that crashed on 43rd Avenue and Indian School Road. The teen was accused of pointing two rifles at a good Samaritan trying to help. “Regardless of the situation, the moments, kids have a right to make mistakes and learn from those. It is not the police department’s job to be the judge, jury and executioner,” said Poder In Action’s Viri Hernandez. In a statement, Glendale Police said the case remains under investigation and said, in part, “...the fact remains that Borojquez was an armed juvenile inside a stolen vehicle and was reaching toward a weapon at the time of the incident.”

Still, Bojorquez loved ones are urging the department to release more video and police reports from that day. “Where is this investigation? It’s been 3 months. What is happening,” said Hernandez.

Copyright 2022 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.