Roosevelt Row was supposed to be wrapping up another artsy, food-truck-filled First Friday when gunfire cut through the night near 5th Street and Roosevelt, sending a woman and a teenage boy to the hospital.
Phoenix police say the shooting happened late Friday near the downtown arts district as crowds were thinning out after the monthly event. Officers shut down the area while detectives canvassed the scene and collected evidence, then reopened the streets early Saturday morning.
According to Arizona's Family, officers were called around 11:30 p.m. and found a woman and a teen boy with gunshot wounds. Both were taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and are expected to recover, authorities said. The suspect had already taken off before police arrived.
First Friday Crowds And Roosevelt Row
The violence broke out just after the neighborhood hosted its regular First Friday art walk, which packs Roosevelt Row with gallery-hoppers, musicians and food vendors. According to Downtown Phoenix's event page, the March First Friday market started at 5 p.m., with activities typically running into the evening hours.
Because many people were still out around the time of the shooting, investigators believe there could be multiple witnesses who saw or heard something that might help the case.
Investigators Ask For Tips
Phoenix police say the investigation is active and they have not released any description of the shooter. Detectives are asking anyone with information to come forward.
Tips can be shared anonymously by calling Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS or 480-TESTIGO for Spanish speakers, or by submitting an online report through the options listed on the city's police contact page. The Phoenix Police non-emergency line is also available for people who would rather speak directly with an officer about what they saw or any video they might have.
Local Context
Roosevelt Row has been on edge after several recent violent incidents in the area, including a January shooting near a First Friday event that left a teenager dead. Coverage of neighbors' calls for safer streets described how residents and event organizers have been pushing for both improved safety and more thoughtful management of busy public spaces.
The latest shooting is likely to add fuel to that ongoing debate about how to protect big cultural gatherings without driving away the artists, vendors and small businesses that have turned Roosevelt Row into one of Phoenix's most recognizable districts.
Phoenix police have not released any additional details about what led up to the gunfire. Anyone who witnessed the incident or captured video near 5th and Roosevelt around 11:30 p.m. Friday is urged to contact Silent Witness or use the department's tip line.
