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Three youths were arrested in Arizona after police say they launched rocks at cars and pedestrians with a slingshot in an apparent “copycat” attack inspired by a wave of vehicle shootings on a highway in Phoenix, authorities said on Sunday.
According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the teenagers are likely “copycats” and not connected to a string of recent freeway shootings.
Sheriff Joe Arpaio said a witness inside a car that had its window shattered led authorities to the suspects by providing a license plate number.
“These are just some kids that were out thinking that maybe they’d come up with some good idea, and my message there to kids thinking it’s kind of cool to do this, and let’s see what we can do: they’re all in jail, and they have probably impacted their life negatively for some time to come,” DPS Director Frank Milstead said.
DPS is urging drivers to stay vigilant as they continue to investigate 11 confirmed freeway shooting cases.
No confirmed freeway shooting incidents have been reported since Thursday, and the Department of Public Safety determined that a truck with a broken rear window in the West Valley Saturday was not part of the ongoing investigation.
Milstead said out of the 11 cases, some were shootings, others involved “projectiles,” and at least one appeared to be caused by road rage.
He said the watch center has received 850 leads.
A person of interest in the case is still in custody on an unrelated marijuana possession charge. Oscar de la Torrez Munoz, 19, of Phoenix, was detained Friday at a convenience store near Interstate 10.
Authorities have not said what led them to question Munoz.
Agencies/Canadajournal
