Story highlights Police said neither officer heard neighbors say the victim was deaf

One officer fired his gun, and the other deployed his taser

(CNN) His neighbors tried to tell police that Magdiel Sanchez was deaf.

"He can't hear you!" they yelled, as two officers -- one armed with a gun and the other with a Taser -- gave Sanchez verbal commands to drop the metal pipe he was holding in his right hand.

Minutes later, 35-year-old Sanchez was shot dead by one of the officers. It's unclear whether either officer heard the neighbors' warnings. Police said later they had confirmed with the victim's father that Sanchez was deaf.

Magdiel Sanchez

A neighbor, Julio Rayos, told CNN affiliate KFOR Sanchez was deaf and nonverbal and would communicate with hand movements.

"That's how we communicated with him," Rayos said. "And he was actually -- I believe he was trying to -- he was frustrated trying to tell (the officers) what was going on."

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