A woman was wounded in a drive-by shooting along State Route 88 near Apache Junction on Friday evening, according to authorities. Investigators say shots came from a moving vehicle and at least one other car was hit in the gunfire. The injured woman was taken to a nearby hospital, where her injuries were described as non-life-threatening. The Arizona Department of Public Safety's Major Crimes District responded to the scene and is handling the case.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety said it received the report on March 6 and told reporters that the shots were fired from a vehicle traveling along SR 88, as reported by KTAR. Not long after the incident, officials had not announced any arrests and were asking the public to help fill in the gaps.
How investigators say the shooting unfolded
Detectives are treating the case as a drive-by shooting in which someone opened fire from a vehicle and struck at least one other car along the highway. They have not released any information about a possible motive or who might be responsible. Troopers with DPS's Major Crimes District spent the aftermath canvassing the area for witnesses and surveillance video in an effort to piece together a timeline. It was not immediately clear whether the wounded woman was inside one of the damaged vehicles or was a bystander.
Police ask for tips
DPS is asking anyone who was in the area, especially drivers with dash-cam footage or cellphone video, to call the statewide tip line at 1-877-4AZ-TIPS (429-4877), as reported by KTAR. Investigators urged people not to delete or overwrite any recordings until they have had a chance to review them.
Where this happened
State Route 88, commonly known as the Apache Trail, is a scenic but narrow stretch northeast of the Valley that has dealt with its share of serious crashes and safety upgrades in recent years, including guardrail and pavement projects noted in local coverage. ABC15 has highlighted recent incidents and planned improvements along parts of the route, and troopers frequently urge drivers to use extra caution there.
The DPS Major Crimes District continues to investigate the shooting. Local residents or anyone who was driving the Apache Trail at the time and may have seen something are encouraged to call the tip line. Authorities said they plan to release more information as the investigation moves forward.
