Disorder erupted in a Mesa neighborhood, resulting in a shooting incident linked to a domestic dispute and video game noise, reports from local authorities and court records indicate. Following a domestic violence call, Mesa Police found one person shot at the scene near Higley Road and Main Street on Saturday. The victim was conscious and alert and transported to the hospital. Details shared by FOX 10 Phoenix reveal the initial chaos of the conflict.
Further investigation led to the arrest of 72-year-old Hazel Benson, accused of aggravated assault among other charges, after she allegedly fired a gun at her son during an argument over his loud video gaming, 12 News disclosed, revealing an escalation stemming from familial tensions and misunderstanding of shared living rights. It appears Benson struggled with her son's behavior, leading to the unfortunate outcome.
Benson now faces several legal challenges, including the discharge of a firearm within city limits. The incident left her 38-year-old son with non-life-threatening injuries after being shot in the abdomen. According to statements provided to the police, Benson admitted that amid the dispute, she shot at her son and disposed of the gun in a nearby canal, unable to confirm if her shot had found its mark until she found him wounded at the back door of her residence.
Court documents further describe that officers initially responded to a quieter scene, guiding Benson on her son's "legal standing" in the home after she complained about the noise he made while playing video games, a heated situation that progressed to physical confrontation. Benson's response culminated with the pulling of a trigger. "He then lunged toward her with "his hands in fists at his waistline,'" Benson told officials. She raised the gun and fired it but didn't know if the victim had been shot. Shortly thereafter, the wounded son returned, "pounding" on the back door, according to 12 News.
