Man shot after pointing 'gun' at Glendale officers actually had gun-shaped lighter, police say

Glendale police found that a man who was shot by officers, after he pointed a "simulated gun" at them, was actually holding a gun-shaped lighter, according to arrest records.

Arrest records said on April 28 about 3:40 p.m., a man stole a pair of scissors from Ace Hardware located on North 51st Avenue in Glendale. He then came back to the store and returned the scissors. Records indicated he started waving around a handgun and the store manager called 911.

Police identified the suspect as Gohan Kancab.

Officers found Kancab by the bus stop just east of the store, according to police.

Officers told Kancab to show his hands, according to police officials. Arrest records said Kancab ignored the officers' commands, reached into his backpack and took out what officers believed to be a gun. Kancab took the item out and pointed it in the direction of an officer, according to arrest records.

The officer fired his weapon and struck Kancab in his left shoulder, according to police records. Kancab then tossed the item away after falling to the ground.

During police questioning, records stated Kancab admitted to shoplifting the scissors and returning them to the store. Kancab said the gun was a lighter he used to smoke fentanyl pills outside of the store. He said during his encounter with the police officer that he reached into his bag and took out the gun lighter, according to arrest records.

Police said during their investigation they found the gun was a lighter that was designed to look like a handgun.

Kancab told police he said he ignored the commands because he was "scared" and "stupid." He was booked into a Maricopa County jail on charges of shoplifting, aggravated assault and use of a deadly weapon, disorderly conduct with a weapon and aggravated assault on an officer, according to arrest records.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Man shot after pointing 'gun' had gun-shaped lighter, police say