Attorney general probes boxing cop’s death

The Arizona Attorney General's Office announced Wednesday it is investigating the boxing-related death of Phoenix police officer Barry Scott, a revelation that came the same day a medical examiner determined the death was caused by a strong blow to the head.

Both announcements appeared to be coincidental in timing, and neither offered any real clues in the mysterious death, which followed a Sept. 12 charity boxing match.

However, both show a heightened push by authorities to discover how the young officer, father, husband and Iraq war veteran died.

The attorney general's investigation "is a non-criminal fact-finding inquiry," said agency spokeswoman Anne Hilby. "However...at the request of a local law enforcement agency, we are undertaking an inquiry to determine the facts of the event."

Scott collapsed at Fort McDowell Casino shortly after the match against a Chandler firefighter, whose name was not released. He died four days later at a Scottsdale hospital.

The Maricopa Medical Examiner's Office determined the death was accidental and released no further details about its findings on Wednesday.

Organizers of the boxing match, held to raise money for fallen police and firefighters, have declined to publicly release details about the safety of the event or what took place in the ring.

Phoenix police spokesman Sgt. Andy Hill said his agency asked the attorney general to look into the death because it has jurisdiction throughout the entire state.

"Based on that, we wanted somebody to do the fact finding inquiry that had jurisdiction in all areas," Hill said.

He added: "We are grieving with the family right now, and we'll wait to see what the attorney general's review finds."

Details of Scott's funeral services were also announced on Wednesday.

Visitation is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday at Shadow Mountain Mortuary, 2350 E. Greenway Road and the memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at North Phoenix Baptist Church, 5757 N. Central Avenue.

Interment will immediately follow the memorial service and will take place at Phoenix Memorial Park, 200 W. Beardsley.

There will not be an official police procession for Scott because he did not die in the line of duty.

However, a private procession from the church onto Central Avenue to Northern east to 7th Street north to Beardsley and west to the cemetery has been scheduled.

Additionally, the Phoenix Police Department has asked the public to donate to a special fund set up to help Scott's family pay for the funeral expenses. Anyone wishing to donate can go to a Bank of America branch and ask about giving to the fund for "Officer Barry Scott."