A Halloween party near North 37th Avenue and West Behrend Drive in Phoenix turned violent in the early hours of Nov. 1, when a fight broke out and then, minutes later, someone opened fire outside the home, striking an 18-year-old man. Police are now asking the public for help identifying and tracking down the people responsible.
According to Phoenix Police
, the trouble started around 12:30 a.m. when a fight broke out at the party and multiple people assaulted an 18-year-old male. About 10 to 15 minutes later, police said, an unknown suspect who may have been involved in that same fight discharged a firearm during an argument outside the residence, hitting an 18-year-old male. Phoenix Police is asking for the public's help identifying and locating multiple suspects in what they're investigating as an aggravated assault case.
Two Separate Attacks, Minutes Apart
The sequence described by police suggests the violence unfolded in two distinct stages rather than a single outburst: first the physical assault inside or near the party, then a second, armed confrontation outside once the initial fight had already ended. Investigators have not said whether the same 18-year-old was targeted in both incidents, nor have they released details about his condition or the identities of any suspects.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Phoenix Police. The department's social media post noted its page is not staffed around the clock and is not meant for emergencies.
Part of a Violent Halloween Weekend Across the Valley
The Behrend Drive shooting was one of several violent incidents tied to Halloween parties across the Phoenix area that weekend. ABC15 reported that the weekend produced multiple violent incidents connected to Halloween gatherings, including two shootings and a stabbing elsewhere in the Valley. That same report detailed a separate shooting around 11:20 p.m. Saturday near 99th Avenue and Camelback Road, where two men were shot and reportedly suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
In a separate case in central Phoenix, near 15th Avenue and Fillmore Streets, an 18-year-old named Jose Juan Vargas Hernandez was shot multiple times and later died at a nearby hospital, according to the station's report. Authorities received calls about gunshots in that neighborhood around 3:30 a.m. Saturday. Detectives in that case determined that a fight had led to the shooting, and while multiple people were detained, no arrests had been made at the time of the report.
Residents with information about the Behrend Drive fight or shooting can reach Phoenix Police at 602-262-6151, or call 911 in an emergency.
