A Mesa mother's night ended in handcuffs after a domestic disturbance between her and her son, who she claimed was being too loud while engaging in video games, spiraled into violence. According to FOX 10 Phoenix, the altercation took place last Saturday night close to Higley Road and Main Street, where the mother, identified as 72-year-old Hazel Benson, is now facing serious charges.
The Mesa Police Department, responding to the scene around 9 p.m., discovered Benson's 38-year-old son with a gunshot wound to the stomach, a consequence of the evening's heated squabble. In a statement obtained by FOX 10 Phoenix, the dispute escalated when the son returned from a walk and Benson attempted to bar him from reentering the home, ultimately leading to her opening fire after she claimed he lunged at her with raised fists.
The incident's severity is underscored by the resulting legal repercussions, as Benson was arrested on aggravated assault charges with her son now stabilized at the hospital. Meanwhile, 12 News disclosed that, as per court documents, Benson admitted to shooting at her son and disposing of the gun in a canal, further complicating the investigation.
Earlier that evening, prior to the shooting, there had been another call for service to Benson's home at around 7:45 p.m., where officers encountered Benson's frustration over the noise level caused by her son's gaming, officers informed Benson that her son retained "legal standing" in the home, which still led to a subsequent encounter where she fired the weapon, allegedly without certainty of hitting her son, according to 12 News. Further details of the shooting are currently not released as the investigation into the event continues.
Adding further to the complexity of the case, Benson is not only facing aggravated assault charges but also disorderly conduct and discharge of a firearm within city limits. Her actions that night will now be examined in court, where the events leading up to the shooting and her response afterward will be scrutinized to determine whether a mother’s drastic reaction to a conflict fueled by online disputes was justified.
