A typically quiet West Valley block in El Mirage turned into a crime scene Monday night when gunfire left a boy dead and another juvenile wounded, according to police. Officers rushed to the neighborhood shortly before 8 p.m. after multiple 911 calls reported shots fired. They found a juvenile with gunshot wounds who was taken to a hospital and later pronounced dead. A second juvenile with gunshot injuries was also hospitalized and is expected to survive, authorities said.
Scene and timeline
According to Arizona's Family, calls started coming in around 8 p.m. about shots fired near Dryfus Drive, just west of El Mirage Road and south of Thunderbird Road. Emergency crews found the injured child at the scene, the outlet reported, and rushed him to a nearby hospital.
Neighbors told the station they heard the gunfire and then saw people running from the area in the chaos that followed. Police have not released the boy's name, and what exactly led up to the shooting remains under investigation.
Investigation and vehicle of interest
FOX 10 Phoenix reported that no suspects are in custody. Investigators say they have identified a possible vehicle tied to the shooting and are working to track it down.
Officials told the station there is "no known threat" to the wider community as detectives canvass the neighborhood, collect evidence and talk to residents. Police are also asking people in the area to review doorbell and security-camera footage for anything that might help move the case forward.
Second juvenile hospitalized
As ABC15 reported, officers later learned that another juvenile had shown up at a local hospital with multiple gunshot wounds. That child is expected to recover.
Police have not said whether that second victim is connected to the boy who died. Detectives are continuing to process both scenes and interview potential witnesses as they try to piece together how the shooting unfolded.
How to help
Officials are asking anyone with information, video or other surveillance related to the shooting to contact the El Mirage Police Department tip line at 623-500-3277, according to FOX 10 Phoenix. Local authorities say community tips can be crucial in identifying suspects and closing cases like this one.
