A Sunday church visit ended in tragedy near downtown Buckeye, where a man in his 50s was found shot in a yard and later pronounced dead. Officers were called to the area of 3rd Street and Centre Avenue around 10:45 a.m., and a relative was detained after returning to the scene from a nearby church, police said.
Official account from Buckeye police
According to a news release from the Buckeye Police Department, officers applied a chest seal while providing aid, and Buckeye Fire later took over medical care. The man was pronounced dead at the scene, and detectives are continuing to investigate what led up to the shooting.
Detention and what comes next
As reported by FOX 10 Phoenix, both the victim and the man detained are in their 50s and are cousins. Their names have not been released, and authorities had not formally arrested the cousin as of Sunday afternoon. FOX 10 reports officers detained the relative after he returned from a nearby church. Police have not publicly identified a motive, and investigators are canvassing the neighborhood and continuing to interview witnesses.
Context: gun violence in Buckeye this spring
The June 21 shooting follows other high-profile incidents in the West Valley this spring, including a May shooting in Buckeye that left a 16-year-old pregnant girl and her unborn child dead, as detailed by Arizona's Family. That case and others have drawn heightened attention to weapons offenses in the city as police work to prevent further tragedies.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Buckeye police through the department’s non-emergency line at 623-386-4421 or call 911 for emergencies. According to the Buckeye Police Department, investigators also encourage residents to share video or other evidence that could help the probe.
