A person was shot and killed in South Phoenix on Tuesday night, prompting a homicide investigation near 22nd Street and Roeser Road after several 911 callers reported gunfire in the area. Phoenix police detained multiple people at the scene, but as of early Wednesday, no suspect information had been released.
Officers responded to the area at around 8 p.m. after receiving several emergency calls about shots fired, according to 12News. When they arrived, they found a person who had been shot. The person was taken to a hospital, where they were later pronounced dead, according to police cited by Arizona's Family.
Investigators detained several people at the scene while they worked to piece together what happened, though police have not released suspect information or said whether anyone will face charges, per the same account. Homicide detectives have since been called in to lead the investigation into what led to the shooting.
A South Mountain Precinct Case
The shooting falls within the patrol boundaries of the Phoenix Police Department's South Mountain Precinct, headquartered at 400 W. Southern Avenue, which covers 115 square miles of the city around the clock, according to the City of Phoenix. It's one of eight patrol precincts spread across the city.
The case adds to a string of violent incidents that South Phoenix has seen in recent weeks. Earlier in September, 20-year-old Damarion Goins was shot and killed in a backyard near 19th Street and Broadway Road following an alleged armed robbery, a case that led to the arrest of three suspects, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix. Hoodline previously covered a reported armed robbery and a body found nearby hours later, but investigators had not confirmed whether the incidents were connected.
What Charges Could Look Like
If detectives determine the shooting was not premeditated, Arizona law allows for second-degree murder charges under Arizona Revised Statutes § 13-1104, a Class 1 felony carrying a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison for intentional killings or deaths caused by conduct showing extreme indifference to human life, according to Charity Clark Law. By contrast, Arizona Revised Statutes § 13-1105 defines first-degree murder to include both premeditated killings and felony murder, meaning a suspect could face that more serious charge if the death occurred during the commission of certain dangerous felonies, regardless of intent, per Brian DiPietro Law. No charges have been announced in this case, and it remains unclear which statute, if any, detectives are pursuing.
A Downward Trend, But Still Elevated Locally
The killing comes even as Phoenix's overall homicide numbers have been falling. Citywide homicides dropped from 138 in 2024 to 119 in 2025, according to annual data compiled by the Major Cities Chiefs Association, well below the city's 2022 peak of 223. Violent crime across major offense categories continued to decline in early 2026 compared to the same period a year earlier, in line with broader national trends tracked across dozens of U.S. law enforcement agencies, according to Axios.
Still, Phoenix's homicide rate remained double that of New York City during the first half of 2025, at 0.55 per 100,000 residents compared to New York's 0.27, according to the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting. The department has also been contending with staffing shortfalls of more than 500 sworn officer vacancies against an authorized strength of roughly 3,125 officers, with citywide Priority 1 emergency response times averaging six to nine minutes, per Omnilert.
How to Help the Investigation
Anyone with information can report anonymously through Maricopa County's Silent Witness program, which offers rewards of up to $2,000 for tips leading to an arrest or indictment in homicide cases, double the standard $1,000 ceiling for non-fatal felonies, according to Silent Witness. Its rewards are funded through private donations and grants. As of Wednesday, the identity of the person killed has not been released, and homicide detectives have not disclosed what led up to the shooting.
