A 10-year-old girl was shot in the shoulder Monday night in Casa Grande, and police are now hunting for four persons of interest caught on surveillance video near the scene. The gunfire erupted along Casa Grande Avenue near the district office.
Casa Grande police officers were called to Casa Grande Avenue and McMurray Boulevard at around 7 p.m. Monday, according to FOX 10 Phoenix. Officers located a crime scene directly in front of the high school district office, the outlet reports. Around the same time, officers responded to a nearby convenience store after a report of a 10-year-old girl suffering a gunshot wound to her shoulder.
Police believe the two scenes are connected, per the same report, and the girl was transported to Banner Casa Grande Medical Center, where she was treated and later released. The report does not identify an intended target. The report also does not address whether the surrounding area was targeted.
Two Videos, Four Faces Police Want to Identify
To help crack the case, Casa Grande police released two surveillance videos showing people they consider persons of interest, the station's report notes. One clip shows a male riding a motorized dirt bike, while a second shows two males and one female walking in the area. The four are described as persons of interest, and anyone who recognizes them is asked to contact Casa Grande police.
The dirt bike sighting raises the question of whether the shooting could fit the state's drive-by shooting statute. Under Arizona Revised Statutes § 13-1209, intentionally firing a weapon from a motor vehicle at a person, occupied vehicle, or occupied structure is a Class 2 felony. A vehicle used in violation is subject to seizure for forfeiture, and a judge must order driver's-license surrender and revocation for one to five years after conviction. The footage shows a motorized dirt bike, but the report does not address whether the statute applies to it.
What Charges Could Look Like
Because the girl was treated and released rather than critically wounded, the eventual charges may turn on intent. Arizona's Shannon's Law, codified at ARS § 13-3107, treats criminal negligence involving a discharged firearm within city limits as a Class 6 felony carrying a presumptive 18-month prison term, according to the Salwin Law Group. Investigators will need to sort out whether the shooting reflects intentional targeting or reckless crossfire before charges can be finalized.
Residents with information can also route tips through Casa Grande Silent Witness, a nonprofit partner of the police department that accepts anonymous reports by phone, web, and text and offers cash rewards up to $1,000 for information leading to a felony arrest, according to Casa Grande Silent Witness.
A Rough Stretch for a Growing Pinal County City
Monday's shooting adds to a string of violent incidents in Casa Grande this year. Hoodline previously reported on a fatal shooting outside the Airport Tavern on August 15, in which a 37-year-old man was killed and police launched a multi-day search for an armed 21-year-old suspect. Hoodline has also reported on Casa Grande incidents.
Casa Grande has also seen other violent incidents. The department continues to field these cases. For now, the shooting that sent a 10-year-old to the hospital remains under investigation, with police still working to identify the four people seen in their released footage.
