A man is dead and another was wounded after gunfire broke out at a house party in Goodyear early Saturday, sending juveniles and young adults scattering into nearby streets as police scrambled to the scene near Indian School Road and Loop 303. Goodyear police say an adult man was found with life-threatening injuries and later died at a hospital, while a second man drove himself to the hospital with a minor graze wound and was treated and released.
According to ABC15 Arizona, officers were called to the area of Loop 303 and Indian School Road just before 2 a.m. after reports of multiple gunshots. Per Goodyear police, juveniles and young adults were leaving the party when shots were fired, and responding officers located the mortally wounded man near the intersection. 12News reports the gunfire actually began near Citrus and Indian School roads, with callers describing large groups of teens and young adults scattering into neighboring streets as shots rang out before the victim collapsed closer to the freeway.
Roads Closed as Detectives Comb the Scene
Goodyear police are investigating the shooting as a homicide, and officers asked drivers to avoid the area and use alternate routes while detectives worked. Indian School Road remained restricted in both directions west of Loop 303 as the investigation continued. Police have released no other details about a suspect or what sparked the gunfire.
The case echoes an earlier tragedy in the city: Goodyear police investigated a fatal house party shooting in May 2022 in which 19-year-old Mohamed Salim Abdullah was fatally shot at a backyard gathering, a case where detectives later released suspect photos and sought community tips after those involved fled before officers arrived, the outlet's report on that earlier case noted. The stretch of Indian School Road near Loop 303 has also seen violence before — in May 2018, Goodyear police arrested a 23-year-old man on attempted murder charges after he shot a companion near the freeway off-ramp, intercepting fleeing vehicles after a witness reported the dispute.
A Regional Pattern of Parties Turning Violent
Saturday's shooting fits a troubling pattern playing out across Maricopa County this summer. In April, a house party attended by at least 150 teenagers in neighboring Litchfield Park erupted into gunfire that hospitalized four minors, with surveillance video capturing young people scattering as shooters opened fire along residential streets. Just five days before the Goodyear shooting, Phoenix police arrested two men, identified as 36-year-old Adrian Galindo-Ortiz and 18-year-old Roberto Ortiz, in connection with a south Phoenix house party shooting that left one person injured.
Goodyear's explosive growth may be adding to the strain on neighborhoods where these gatherings unfold. U.S. Census Bureau estimates published in May ranked Goodyear as the ninth-fastest-growing city in the country, with its population expanding 6.5% in a single year to roughly 128,372 residents — up more than 31% since 2020, according to the Santa Monica Mirror. That surge has brought thousands of new families into master-planned subdivisions along the Loop 303 corridor, the same stretch where Saturday's gunfire sent partygoers running.
Legal Tools Aimed at Reckless Gunfire and Unruly Parties
Arizona law already gives prosecutors a tool for cases involving gunfire in residential areas. Under Arizona Revised Statutes § 13-3107, known as Shannon's Law, discharging a firearm with criminal negligence within municipality limits is a Class 6 felony punishable by state prison time, according to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office. The statute was enacted in 2000 after 14-year-old Shannon Smith was struck and killed by a stray bullet in Phoenix.
Some Valley cities have gone further by targeting the gatherings themselves. Chandler adopted an unruly gathering ordinance in 2024 that classifies disruptive parties as Class 1 misdemeanors, fines hosts and property owners up to $2,500, and requires reimbursement for emergency police response costs — allowing citations even when the responsible party isn't physically present, per the City of Chandler. It remains unclear whether Goodyear officials will consider similar measures following Saturday's shooting.
How to Help the Investigation
Anyone with information can submit an anonymous tip through the Maricopa County Silent Witness program, which offers rewards of up to $2,000 for tips leading to an arrest or indictment in unsolved homicide cases. Tipsters can call 480-WITNESS or submit information online without disclosing their identity. Residents with non-emergency neighborhood safety concerns can also reach the Goodyear Police Department's line at 623-932-1220, which coordinates with the city's Code Compliance Division on property and disturbance complaints outside of active emergencies routed through 911.
