Page 19 - KPA 21 SEPT 2015

U.S. NEWS A5
Monday 21 September 2015

Phoenix freeway shooting suspect: ‘I’m the wrong guy’

Leslie Allen Merritt Jr., makes his way to appear before a judge in the suburb of Glendale. and similar statements
at the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday, Sept. 19, Minutes later, Arizona Gov. made by his family.
2015, in Phoenix. The landscaper is the suspect in a series of Doug Ducey proclaimed “The evidence as you’ll see
Phoenix freeway shootings and was arrested Friday after trying on Twitter, “We got him!” in the next couple of days
to sell a gun at a pawn shop. Arizona Department of speaks for itself,” Graves
Public Safety spokesman said. “We’re not going to
(Rob Schumacher/The Arizona Republic via AP, Pool) Bart Graves said the break get in a debate about
in the case was the result that.”
TERRY TANG said Ed Leiter of the Mari- of exhaustive investiga- Tom Mangan, a special
BRIAN SKOLOFF copa County attorney’s tive work in which weap- agent with the Bureau of
Associated Press office. ons from local pawn shops Alcohol, Tobacco, Fire-
PHOENIX (AP) — A land- Superior Court Commis- were test-fired at the state arms and Explosives, which
scaper arrested in a series sioner Lisa Roberts set bail crime lab. has been assisting in the
of Phoenix freeway shoot- at $1 million, and Merritt, Graves said evidence from investigation, said the evi-
ings told a judge that au- who had remained quiet shell casings and bullet dence gathered by DPS
thorities have “the wrong during the proceedings, fragments determined that leaves “no doubt” the gun
guy” as investigators stood asked in a soft-spoken a gun Merritt pawned was used was the one owned
by their detective work voice to address the court. used in four of the shoot- and pawned by Merritt.
that traced the gun to the “All I have to say is I’m the ings on Aug. 29 and 30. A The charging document
suspect after he took it to a wrong guy. I tried telling tour bus, SUV and two cars released Saturday night
pawn shop. the detectives that. My were hit by bullets on Inter- said that investigators de-
Leslie Allen Merritt Jr. was gun’s been in the pawn state 10 on those days. termined by testing that
charged Saturday with shop the last two months. Graves declined to com- the bullets and the bullet
counts including aggra- I haven’t even had access ment on Merritt’s state- fragments from four inci-
vated assault, criminal to a weapon,” he said as ment in court that his gun dents came from a gun
damage, disorderly con- he stood handcuffed in a was in the pawn shop at that was owned by the
duct, carrying out a drive- black and white striped jail the time of the shootings suspect.q
by shooting and intention- uniform.
al acts of terrorism. But a charging document
In a brief court appear- released late Saturday
ance, a prosecutor said night by Maricopa Supe-
the 21-year-old should rior Court said that investi-
face a high bail after driv- gators determined Merritt
ers spent the last three had not pawned his gun at
weeks on edge. the time of the incidents.
“The suspect presents a Merritt was arrested Friday
dramatic and profound evening after a SWAT team
threat to the community,” swarmed him at a Wal-Mart

Alabama:
3 people hurt in church shooting

EAST SELMA, Alabama was Minter’s girlfriend and
(AP) — A man has been that the shooting stemmed
charged with three counts from a domestic situation.
of attempted murder after Witnesses told police that
shooting his girlfriend, their Minter entered the church
baby and a clergyman at and sat in the front row
a church in Alabama, au- between his girlfriend and
thorities said Sunday. the baby, according to
James Junior Minter, 26, of a statement released by
Selma, Alabama, was ar- the Selma Police Depart-
rested after opening fire ment. Minter then pulled
during services at the Oasis out a handgun and start-
Tabernacle Church in East ed shooting, the statement
Selma, Alabama, accord- said. The girlfriend fell to the
ing to Dallas County District ground, and Minter fired at
Attorney Michael Jackson. her, striking her in the jaw
Jackson said the woman and shoulder.q