In the early hours of October 2, a 21-year-old driver and five teenagers found themselves in custody following a reported shooting incident and subsequent chase in Scottsdale, as stated by FOX 10 Phoenix. Scottsdale Police were dispatched to the vicinity of 70th and Belleview Streets around 1:40 a.m., though upon arrival, they encountered neither victims nor evidence of gunfire, just found shell casings at two separate locations removed from the said party residence.
With officers instituting a traffic stop near Scottsdale Road and McDowell Road, Benjamin Brown, the driver of the vehicle, elected not to comply, prompting a pursuit that ceased after merging onto the freeway. The chase, having been stopped when he got on the freeway, the Arizona Department of Public Safety later apprehended the vehicle, according to AZ Family. Inside Brown's car were Iolana Hernandez, 18, alongside four minors.
A search by officers uncovered an empty handgun and an empty magazine concealed in the spare tire compartment, though no ammunition or casings were present. "The initial investigation revealed two separate locations away from the party residence where shell casings were located," the police remarked. A 15-year-old boy in the vehicle claimed ownership of the firearm, insisting it "had not been used in any criminal activity." Meanwhile, a nearby house party—initially suspected to be the origin of the gunshots—was cleared when attendees professed ignorance of any such event. An updated report clarified that the shots-fired call had not come from the house party as initially stated by police.
Despite evidence failing to connect the suspects to the shooting near 70th and Belleview streets, legal troubles persist for those apprehended. Benjamin Brown faces multiple charges, including felony flight and reckless driving, whereas Iolana Hernandez was booked for criminal littering. The juveniles were variously booked for disorderly conduct, minor in possession of alcohol, an,d in the case of the aforementioned 15-year-old, a minor in possession of a firearm—a felony. Having been released, the group now awaits the decision of prosecutors on the pressing of charges, while the police investigation continues to unfold.
