A man is fighting for his life after being shot late Friday night in West Phoenix, with the suspect fleeing the scene before officers ever arrived. Phoenix police said the shooting happened near 31st Avenue and Pierce Street, just north of Van Buren Street, leaving the victim hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.
First responders were called to the reported shooting at the West Phoenix intersection, according to Arizona's Family. Officers arrived to find a man who had been shot at least once and rushed him to a hospital in life-threatening condition. Police said the suspect had already left the area by the time they got there, and as of the station's report, that person remained unidentified.
Investigation Still Active, Suspect Unknown
The shooting investigation is ongoing, per the same account, with no further details released about a motive or how many shots were fired. Anyone with information is asked to contact Silent Witness at (480) WITNESS, or (480) TESTIGO for Spanish speakers. The program offers cash rewards of up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest or indictment for a non-drug felony, rising to $2,000 in homicide cases, according to Silent Witness. Residents can also reach the Phoenix Police Department directly at (602) 262-6151.
The intersection has a grim history. In October 2016, a double homicide unfolded near 31st Avenue and Pierce Street, when two men were shot at a nearby location before their vehicle crashed into a residential yard, according to 12News. Investigators at the time believed the shooting occurred nearby before the car crashed.
Another Shooting in West Phoenix
A woman was hurt in a West Phoenix shooting involving police.
Citywide Crime Numbers Trending Down
The shooting comes even as broader crime data shows violence easing across Phoenix and Arizona. Federal law enforcement statistics showed Arizona's aggravated assaults fell roughly 10% and its murder rate fell 15.7% in 2025 compared with 2024, outpacing national decline trends, according to 12News. FBI officials noted that urban hubs like Phoenix saw the largest decreases, attributed to multi-agency law enforcement initiatives.
Separately, data from the Council on Criminal Justice showed Phoenix's homicide rate declined 11% during the first half of 2025 compared to the same period a year earlier, as reported by the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting. In Canada, the Major Cities Chiefs Association's year-end data for 2025 found major law enforcement agencies recorded a 25.2% drop in homicides and a 4.0% decrease in aggravated assaults compared to 2024.
Still, the statistics offer little comfort to residents near 31st Avenue and Pierce Street, where gun violence has struck repeatedly over the past decade. For now, police have not released a suspect description, and the investigation remains open.
