A late-night recreational baseball game at Salt River Fields ended in a brutal parking lot ambush that left one player hospitalized with a gunshot wound and a traumatic brain bleed, authorities say. Two Scottsdale brothers are accused of turning a heated on-field dispute into an off-field attack, allegedly trapping, pistol whipping and then shooting the victim as he tried to drive away.
Police: Fight on field escalated into ambush
Salt River Police say the initial scuffle broke out around 9:40 p.m. on June 24 during a recreational men's game. The victim, identified in court documents as Luis Ayala-Aponte, walked off the field before the suspects followed him into the parking area and blocked his vehicle, according to FOX 10 Phoenix. Ayala-Aponte was taken by emergency crews to a trauma center with a gunshot wound to his ear, a graze wound to the back of his neck and a traumatic brain bleed, the outlet reports.
Where it happened
The violence unfolded at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, a multi-field sports complex on Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community land east of Scottsdale. The complex, which hosts spring training games along with recreational leagues, sits at 7555 N. Pima Rd., according to the venue's official site, Salt River Fields.
Arrests, weapons and defense claim
Police arrested brothers Nicholas Dimarco, 29, and Joseph Dimarco, 27, after what officers described as a high-risk traffic stop following the shooting. Investigators say the brothers tried to leave the scene together in a single car. During the stop, officers recovered a Glock 9mm on the floorboard where Joseph had been sitting, a Sig Sauer 9mm in Nicholas's waistband and a single 9mm shell casing back at the ballfields, according to FOX 10 Phoenix. Multiple witnesses reported hearing a gunshot, and the probable-cause statement cited by the outlet says bystanders who tried to step in backed off when Nicholas allegedly pointed a gun at them. The brothers' defense attorney characterized the incident as "a fight on a baseball field that went bad" and indicated they intend to argue self-defense.
Charges and court schedule
Maricopa County court records show Nicholas Dimarco was booked on aggravated assault resulting in serious physical injury and multiple counts of assault with a deadly weapon. Joseph Dimarco faces largely the same slate of assault charges. A judge set $50,000 secured appearance bonds for each man and ordered them to stay away from the victim, witnesses and the scene if they are released. The brothers are due back in Maricopa County Superior Court for a status conference on July 1 and a preliminary hearing on July 6, according to Maricopa County Superior Court.
Victim condition and next steps
Ayala-Aponte was transported to HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center, a Level I trauma facility in Scottsdale, where he was treated for the gunshot wound and brain bleed and remains hospitalized, according to reporting and hospital information. Investigators say the probe is still active, and anyone with footage or information about the June 24 confrontation is urged to contact authorities through official channels as the case moves through the courts.
