PHOENIX, ARIZONA – September 18, 2015 (Gephardt Daily) –
Authorities in Arizona say they have arrested a prime suspect in Phoenix’s I-10 sniper shootings.
According to a spokesman for the Arizona Department of Public Safety, 21-year-old Leslie Merritt, Jr. was taken into custody at a Glendale Walmart store around 7 p.m. Friday.
Police say he was in the company of a woman and a five-year at the time of his arrest.
News of the apprehension was first Tweeted by Arizona Governor Doug Ducey:
“BREAKING: We got him! DPS SWAT team is in custody of the individual suspected of the I-10 shootings. Apprehended moments ago.”
According to DPS Director Frank Milstead, a 9mm pistol owned by Merritt, Jr. has been forensically linked to the first four freeway shootings which happened between August 29 and August 31.
There have been at least seven other shootings since then, and authorities fear other shooters could be involved.
Most of the shooting incidents occurred along Interstate 10, one of Phoenix’s most prominent freeways.
There were no serious injuries during the two week long shooting spree, although a 13- year-old passenger in one vehicle hit by gunfire was struck by flying glass.
