A hail of bullets tore through a Phoenix residence while a family was inside early yesterday morning, authorities confirmed. The shooting incident occurred near 19th Avenue and Broadway Road around 5 a.m., according to FOX 10 Phoenix. Phoenix Police officers who responded to the scene found that the home had been struck multiple times by gunfire, but no injuries were reported.
"It was around 5 this morning. We were sleeping, of course. We just heard these loud shots … like they was standing in the backyard or standing at the door or something," homeowner Debra Washington recounted in a statement obtained by FOX 10 Phoenix. According to the same report, Debra discovered a bullet had penetrated a wall and struck one of their televisions. The family indicated they contacted 911 shortly after the incident, but police did not arrive until about 1.5 hours later, leaving them uneasy about the potential return of the shooter.
The Washington family expressed concerns for their safety, considering the unpredictability and violence that had intruded upon their longtime home. "I’m 83 years old and I can’t be ducking under the door and anything like that. I have little grandkids here. Two under five years old and the other one is six-years-old. There’s four of them," said Booker Washington, according to FOX 10. The family's distress was palpable as they grapple with the new threat that has marred their sense of security in a home occupied by Booker for more than four decades.
When queried about the police response time, Sgt. Rob Scherer of the Phoenix Police Department provided clarification. "The call was received at 0510 hours. The caller that made this call stated that this incident occurred 10–15 minutes prior to the call to police meaning this was not an in-progress crime. Additionally, it was described that no injuries resulted from the incident. These factors made this call for service a priority 2. Officers were dispatched to the call at 6:30 a.m. and arrived at the scene at 6:37 a.m.," Sgt. Scherer explained to Ground News. Further details about the shooting remain undisclosed at this time, as the incident is presumably under investigation.
