The Brief
- Joseph Ortiz was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to domestic violence charges of aggravated assault and kidnapping.
- The sentencing stems from an August 2025 domestic dispute and police pursuit that shut down a Mesa highway for more than 13 hours.
- Investigators confirmed Ortiz was unarmed when a Mesa police officer shot him after he fled across active highway lanes and reached for his waistband.
MESA, Ariz. – A man shot by police on U.S. 60 last summer after attempting a knife-point kidnapping was sentenced Thursday to seven and a half years in prison.
What we know:
Joseph Ortiz, 38, received the prison term on June 25 after pleading guilty to domestic violence charges of aggravated assault and kidnapping. The sentencing resolves a case stemming from an August 2025 pursuit and officer-involved shooting that shut down the East Valley highway for more than 13 hours.
A Maricopa County Superior Court judge also ordered Ortiz to serve three years of supervised probation following his release from prison. He received 287 days of credit for time already served in jail.…